Establishment of an international Scientific Board for ANSES

ANSES has decided to open its Scientific Board to international researchers and experts alongside those from French or French-speaking institutions. This ambition will be included in the orientations of the Agency's new goals and performance contract with the State for the period 2023-2027.

The diversity of disciplines and the large number of institutions represented among its members will enable this new Scientific Board to take a panoramic view of current health issues, and share and learn from good practices in research, assessment and information sharing on risks in different countries.

This strategy of openness will also enable them – while capitalising on the work already carried out by the Board on issues such as the exposome or the One Health approach – to go further in considering climate change or socio-economic determinants when examining the risks threatening society. It will also strengthen strategic cooperation networks, particularly at European level.

ANSES's Scientific Board gives its opinion on the Agency's research orientations, methodologies and expert appraisal process, as well as on its work programme and scientific partnership policy. This Agency governance body was set up to guarantee the quality, relevance and coherence of its scientific work with regard to health issues and how they evolve.

The most recent Scientific Board completes its mandate in 2023 with the publication of two important deliverables: one on taking the exposome into account in ANSES's various scientific activities, on the basis of which the Agency published a scientific opinion, and the other on the credibility of scientific expert appraisals, which led to a position paper from the Agency. This work illustrates the significant involvement and diversity of the Board's contributions during its last term of office, when it was chaired by Isabelle Momas. The ANSES Directorate General thanks each and every one of those involved for their commitment.

The renewed Scientific Board

The new Scientific Board is made up of 24 scientists selected for their recognised competence at European and international level and their independence with regard to all of ANSES's missions. The Scientific Board also includes three members of ANSES's scientific staff, elected by their peers, as well as two ex-officio members appointed by the chairs of the scientific boards of Santé Publique France and the French Health Products Safety Agency (ANSM).

The Scientific Board's renewal was preceded by a call for applications. The 24 scientists were chosen after a selection process that included an analysis of their personal interests. They have a variety of scientific backgrounds and several of them come from European and international counterpart health agencies.

The chairperson will be elected by the Board members at the first Board meeting, which will be scheduled as soon as possible.

"This new Scientific Board reflects ANSES's strong desire to bring together multidisciplinary scientific competence from beyond our borders in order to diversify our outlooks and strengthen how global health challenges are taken into account by scientific expert appraisal and research players. Its international outlook is in line with the continuous improvement of our operations, with a view to continuing to produce robust scientific work in response to current and future challenges."