title: Building clinical trial priorities at the University of Rwanda.
abstract: After the genocide in Rwanda, the country's healthcare system collapsed. Remarkable gains have since been made by the state to provide greater clinical service capacity and expand health policies that are grounded on locally relevant evidence. This commentary explores the challenges faced by Rwanda in building an infrastructure for clinical trials. Through local examples, we discuss how a clinical trial infrastructure can be constructed by (1) building educational capacity; (2) encouraging the testing of relevant interventions using appropriate and cost-effective designs; and, (3) promoting ethical and regulatory standards. The future is bright for clinical research in Rwanda and with a renewed appetite for locally generated evidence it is necessary that we discuss the challenges and opportunities in drawing up a clinical trials agenda.
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, College of Medicine & Health Sciences, University of Rwanda, Kigali, Rwanda. jcondo@nursph.org.
authors.forename: Jeanine
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Condo
authors.forename: Brenda
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kateera
authors.forename: Eugene
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mutimura
authors.forename: Francine
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Birungi
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ndagijimana
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jansen
authors.forename: Julius
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kamwesiga
authors.forename: Jamie I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Forrest
authors.forename: Edward J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Mills
authors.forename: Agnes
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Binagwaho
mesh_terms: D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000941:ethics / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends; D003906:Developing Countries; D004501:Education, Medical; D005544:Forecasting; D063365:Genocide; D006292:Health Priorities / Q000941:ethics / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000941:ethics / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D020380:Needs Assessment / Q000941:ethics / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D012107:Research Design / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends; D012432:Rwanda; D014495:Universities / Q000941:ethics / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends