WHO Launches Guideline Group to Develop First-Ever Multiplex Testing Standards

The World Health Organization (WHO) is convening a Guideline Development Group (GDG) to draft the world’s first comprehensive recommendations on multiplex testing—a diagnostic approach that uses a single sample to test for multiple infections simultaneously. The forthcoming guideline will establish critical principles for integrating multiplex testing into health systems, focusing on HIV, viral hepatitis, and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), while setting the stage for broader multi-disease applications.

Why Multiplex Testing Matters

Timely and accurate diagnostic testing is the backbone of disease prevention, detection, and management. For conditions such as HIV, hepatitis, and STIs—which disproportionately affect populations in low- and middle-income countries—multiplex testing presents an innovative solution.

Instead of requiring multiple tests for different infections, multiplex testing enables providers to:

• Detect multiple diseases from a single sample,

• Reduce the time and resources required for diagnosis,

• Improve efficiency and cost-effectiveness, and

• Expand testing coverage across diseases in both clinical and community settings.

As global health systems increasingly adopt integrated, people-centered service delivery models, multiplex testing could transform diagnostic services, reduce missed opportunities, and strengthen health system resilience.

The First WHO Guideline of Its Kind

This will be the first WHO guideline to incorporate the latest evidence on multiplex testing and provide recommendations for real-world implementation. While primarily focused on HIV, hepatitis, and STIs, the guideline is expected to create foundational principles for integrated diagnostics that could extend to other infectious diseases in the future.

Key issues to be addressed include:

• The role of providers and self-testers in applying multiplex testing,

• Best practices for integration into health systems,

• How to prioritize scarce resources while maximizing public health impact, and

• Strategies to ensure equitable access across vulnerable populations.

Virtual Meetings in 2025

The GDG will convene a series of virtual meetings, including a key session scheduled for 4–5 November 2025. These meetings will bring together experts to review evidence, deliberate on options, and draft recommendations.

Who Is Involved?

In line with WHO procedures, the Guideline Development Group comprises experts from all six WHO regions. Members were chosen by WHO technical staff based on:

• Technical expertise in diagnostics, HIV, hepatitis, or STI programmes,

• Roles as end-users, such as programme managers and healthcare providers, and

• Representation of affected communities, ensuring the voices of those most impacted guide the process.

All members serve in their personal capacities and do not represent their affiliated organizations. They will not receive financial compensation for their participation.

Call for Public Input

To ensure transparency and inclusivity, WHO is inviting public feedback on the GDG’s membership. The biographies of GDG members are available for review, and comments can be submitted via email to hiv-aids@who.int until 29 September 2025.

This open consultation process is intended to help WHO incorporate diverse perspectives and ensure the guidelines respond to the real needs of communities worldwide.

Looking Ahead

By establishing principles for multiplex testing, WHO aims to accelerate progress toward universal health coverage, strengthen prevention and treatment pathways, and reduce the burden of infectious diseases. The guideline is expected to serve as a blueprint for countries seeking to integrate diagnostics across multiple diseases in a cost-effective and sustainable way.

If widely adopted, multiplex testing could become a game-changer for public health, particularly in regions facing high disease burdens and limited resources.