The first-ever World Health Organization (WHO) Global Clinical Trial Forum has put forward a joint vision for sustainable clinical research infrastructure to strengthen clinical trial capabilities.
The forum aimed to build, enhance and sustain functional clinical trial capacity and provide an update on global clinical research capabilities per region.
The main objectives of the clinical trial forum were to develop a joint vision on strengthening clinical research capabilities in alignment with the World Health Assembly’s resolution: Strengthening clinical trials to provide high-quality evidence on health interventions and to improve research quality and coordination.
Around 130 experts from 43 countries participated in person, along with many more virtually, including trialists, clinical scientists, regulators, ethicists, research funders, patient groups and community engagement experts, as part of the forum on 20 to 21 November 2023.
Further industry groups, including the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations, the Developing Countries Vaccine Manufacturers Network, the International Generic and Biosimilar Medicines Association, contract research organisations and several product development partnerships, were also represented.
Throughout the summit, experiences and lessons learned were exchanged among various disciplines and health condition areas, such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, metabolic and neurological disorders.
Additionally, other areas included mental health, tuberculosis, HIV, malaria, maternal and child health, ageing, vector-borne diseases including dengue fever, antimicrobial resistance, emerging infectious diseases and neglected tropical diseases.
Across the two-day summit, specific focuses on clinical trials in primary healthcare, intensive care units, in-hospital settings and vaccine trial settings were discussed.
The forum participants called for clinical trial infrastructure, including domestic funding as is possible per country in WHO’s six regions.
This included national support for clinical trial infrastructure, improving coordination and streamlining of regulatory and ethics review and approval processes, enhancing engagements with patients, the public and communities, enabling clinical trials with digital and information technologies, and more.
The outcomes presented aim to change the clinical trial landscape, with fewer, well-designed trials generating compelling evidence for improving policy and practices to drive patient outcomes and population health, as well as leading to sustained capacity-building and a streamlined process for stakeholders involved.