On 18–20 April 2023, the WHO Malaria Policy Advisory Group (MPAG) convened to review updates and progress, and to provide guidance on thematic areas of work by the Global Malaria Programme. The meeting focused on the following topics: 1) the RBM Partnership to End Malaria evaluation of the “High burden to high impact” (HBHI) approach; 2) updates on the vector control, treatment and diagnostic recommendations in the WHO guidelines for malaria; 3) revisiting comparative effectiveness in the context of the arrival of new vector control products; 4) an update on certification of malaria elimination and the E-2025 Global Forum; 5) an update on the RTS,S/AS01 Malaria Vaccine Implementation Programme and WHO evidence review for the R21/Matrix-M vaccine; 6) an update on the work areas of the Strategic Information for Response Unit; 7) a report from the technical consultation on the effectiveness of rectal artesunate (RAS) and field implementation manual; 8) a report from the technical consultation on community-based delivery of intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in pregnancy (IPTp); 9) an update on the WHO/TDR field implementation manual for seasonal malaria chemoprevention (SMC); 10) an update on the Anopheles stephensi regional strategy; 11) an update on histidine-rich protein 2 (HRP2) gene deletions and global response plan; and 12) an update on antimalarial drug resistance in Africa.

The aim of this protocol is to support the conduct of entomological comparative efficacy assessments for vector control products and the associated non-inferiority analysis. This evidence is used to inform discussions within the guidelines development context as to whether a new vector control product should be considered as covered by one or more existing WHO recommendations or not. Alternatively, the evidence may inform the extension of an existing WHO recommendation or the development of a new one, provided that non-inferiority is demonstrated.