The Research, Ethics and Innovation (REI) unit supports Member States in the Western Pacific Region to strengthen research systems, govern emerging technologies responsibly, and harness innovation equitably to advance health outcomes.

REI strengthens the foundations of health research across the Region by building research governance capacity in low- and middle-income countries, enhancing ethics oversight, including AI ethics training for national ethics review committees and serving as the secretariat of the Regional Ethics Review Committee and addressing ethical, legal, and social implications (ELSI) of emerging technologies such as human genomics. REI also strengthens clinical trial ecosystems through regional network development, benchmarking, and institutional capacity building to ensure Member States can conduct and benefit from high-quality health research.

On innovation, REI supports Member States on developing national AI roadmaps, operationalizing governance tools — including ethics frameworks, health technology assessment adapted for AI, and regulatory reliance mechanisms. REI convenes diverse stakeholders for value alignment and the co-development of regional public goods such as regional sandboxes and shared datasets, enabling the Region to move from principles to practice in responsible AI deployment.

Across all pillars, REI works in close collaboration with WHO country offices, headquarters, and key partners to ensure approaches are aligned with country priorities and contribute to a coherent regional ecosystem for research, ethics, and responsible innovation.