On community involvement

Lastly, the capacities of each community in regards to its ability to judge the ethics and science of trials hosted by them should be enhanced. In many resourcelimited areas local groups of activists do not possess the skills necessary to monitor the research work that is taking place in their populations. In this case they are not properly prepared to negotiate on the ethical factors of a study. On the other hand, such NGO representatives and activists are the only true experts of the local situation and hence the only bodies capable of judging the ethical dilemmas of clinical studies in their countries.

Again here the role of ensuring such increase in capacity should be the sponsor’s, who wishes to carry out research in this group. The sponsor therefore needs to involve the activist community in privileged communities to help train and educate local activists regarding the ethics and science of clinical trials. Whenever possible the results of such work should be the creation of a Community Advisory Board (CAB) which will be able to judge the benefits of future trials in their community.

EATN - European AIDS Treatment News, Volume 13, I – Spring 2005