CONSENSUS REPORT ON REVITALISING CLINICAL RESEARCH IN SOUTH AFRICA A STUDY ON CLINICAL RESEARCH AND RELATED TRAINING IN SOUTH AFRICA

This report provides a review of the overall state of clinical research in South Africa. At the initiation of the study, the Study Panel’s task was to review the existing scientific evidence regarding the current state of clinical research in South Africa. The review focused mainly on key clinical research issues as they were outlined in the brief. Some highlights of the findings include the fact that there has been too little research on the public understanding of science or of public perceptions of clinical trials in South Africa, and that there is currently no national plan to
provide coordinated support for the education and development of clinical researchers. More than half of the total expenditure on clinical research is by the private sector. Finally, since the public sector is playing too small role in this domain, it needs to become more actively engaged.

The study was initiated as a result of discussions with the Pharmaceutical Industry
Association of South Africa (PIASA), which suggested that the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) should raise awareness of the value of good scientific clinical research to South Africa at top levels of government and academia. This also included raising awareness of the benefits of having clinical research units at universities, hospitals and research institutions in order to retain research scientists in the country, as part of the agenda of building a larger pool of researchers for the future. Proposers of the study were Prof. Wieland Gevers and Prof. Jimmy Volmink and former ASSAf staff member Ms Rudzani Ramaite. The ASSAf Council approved the study and approved the appointment of a 13-member Study Panel of experts.