What Sponsors Actually Need from African Trial Networks
By now, the argument for Africa’s inclusion in global clinical research is well established. The scientific rationale is clear. The public health need is clear. The access imperative is clear. But sponsors do not place complex Phase II and III trials solely on the...
Why Feasibility Assessments Fail in African Clinical Research
What if many clinical trial delays attributed to African sites begin much earlier — in weak feasibility design? When a study misses its first-patient-in date or enrolment lags, the explanation is often reduced to a familiar shorthand: “Africa is difficult.” But that...
Oracle Supports Africa Clinical Research Network (ACRN) to Advance a New Era of Clinical Research, Launches First Trial
Harare, Zimbabwe — May 5, 2026HARARE, Zimbabwe – May 5, 2026 – The Africa Clinical Research Network (ACRN) has launched its first clinical trial with Oracle in Africa, which commenced in February 2026. The PROgnostic Testing to Enhance Clinical Triage of Pre-eclampsia...
What Actually Delays Clinical Trials in Africa: A Systems-level Breakdown
African trial start-up is often described as slow. It is one of the most durable assumptions in global clinical development, and one of the least examined. It appears in sponsor discussions, conference panels, and country-selection assumptions. But clinical trial...
World Malaria Day: Prevention, Early Testing, and Research Still Matter in Africa
Malaria remains one of the most serious public health threats across Africa. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there were an estimated 282 million malaria cases globally in 2024 and 610,000 malaria deaths. The WHO African Region accounted for 95% of...
What Success Could Look Like in 10 Years: Africa’s Place in the Global Life Sciences Value Chain
Africa carries a substantial share of the global disease burden but continues to host only a small proportion of global clinical trials (1). This imbalance affects where evidence is generated, whose populations are represented, and how confidently findings can be...
Global Health and Industry Are Not Opposites: Why Impact and Excellence Depend on Alignment
A familiar narrative in global health frames the pharmaceutical industry and global health priorities as fundamentally opposed: one driven by profit, the other by people. It is a compelling framing, but one that is often too simplistic to be useful. The more important...
African-Led CROs and SMOs: Why Governance Matters More Than Scale
Growth in African clinical research is becoming more visible. More studies are being placed, more partnerships are being announced, and regulatory systems in several countries are evolving. But beneath that momentum sits a quieter question: what determines whether...