Clinical research in South Africa needs to be reorganized and revitalized, says ASSAf report

There is a need to revitalize and reorganize clinical research in South Africa, according to a new, peer-reviewed report by the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) has released a peer-reviewed, titled Revitalizing Clinical Research in South Africa: A Study on Clinical Research and Related Training in South Africa.

Clinical research activity and capacity in SA has declined dramatically, prompting the ASSAf, following discussions with the Pharmaceutical Industry Association of South Africa (PIASA), to undertake this study in order to make recommendations on the overall revitalization of clinical research in the country within the framework of essential national health research.

'Clinical research in a developing country like South Africa contributes to health care at all levels by identifying the causes of problems, facilitating diagnosis, improving the efficiency and effectiveness of care, and promoting good policy-making,' says the report. 'It also supports the training of competent health professionals of all kinds, and contributes to global knowledge about locally, as well as generally, prevalent diseases in terms of prevention and treatment,' it adds.