Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41772531›Full record

ArticleBMC medical ethics2026

Strengthening research regulatory capacity in the East African community: a multi-country training program on emerging and complex study designs.

Mathius Amperiize, Belinda Twesigye, Beth Mutumba, Hellen Opolot, Soazic Gardais, Steve Wandiga, Helen Ndagije, Jeremiah Kidola, Vincent Mutabazi, Ramadhan Nyandwi and 7 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in BMC medical ethics, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

17 authors.

Mathius AmperiizeInfectious Diseases Institute, Kampala, Uganda.
Belinda TwesigyeInfectious Diseases Institute, Kampala, Uganda.
Beth MutumbaUganda National Council of Science and Technology, Kampala, Uganda.
Hellen OpolotUganda National Council of Science and Technology, Kampala, Uganda.
Soazic GardaisEpicentre, Paris, France.
Steve WandigaKenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya.
Helen NdagijeUganda National Drug Authority, Kampala, Uganda.
Jeremiah KidolaNational Institute of Medical Research, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.
Vincent MutabaziMinistry of Heath Rwanda, Kigali, Rwanda.
Ramadhan NyandwiUniversity of Burundi, Bujumbura, Burundi.
Lina S MathewUniversity of Bahr El Ghazal, Juba, South Sudan.
Novat TwungubumweEast African Health Research Commission, Bujumbura, Burundi.
Barbara CastelnuovoInfectious Diseases Institute, Kampala, Uganda.
Joseph Walter ArinaitweInfectious Diseases Institute, Kampala, Uganda.
Stephen OkoboiInfectious Diseases Institute, Kampala, Uganda.
Provia AinembabaziInfectious Diseases Institute, Kampala, Uganda.
Pauline Byakika-KibwikaInfectious Diseases Institute, Kampala, Uganda. pauline.byakika@must.ac.ug.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe East African Community (EAC) has experienced a significant increase in volume and complexity of clinical research driven by the epidemics of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases such as HIV, Ebola, COVID-19, and mpox. This demands for robust research, scientific, and ethical oversight. We aimed to strengthen the capacity of national research regulatory authorities (NRRA), research ethics committees (RECs), and researchers for review and oversight of studies with complex and emerging designs.

methodsWe implemented a blended training program from February 2024 to February 2025 in six EAC partner states, including; republic of Burundi, republic of Kenya, republic of Rwanda, republic of South Sudan, republic of Tanzania, and republic of Uganda. Trainees were evaluated using pre and post-training assessments, and also provided qualitative responses.

resultsA total of 186 participants completed the training, of which 59.0% (110/186) were males. Participants demonstrated a marked improvement in knowledge, with mean scores increasing from 52.9% at pre-test to 84.0% at post-test, and the proportion of participants that passed increased from 18.1% (34/186) at pre-test to 84.2% (157/186) at post-test. Three main themes emerged from the open-ended response evaluations: (1) enhanced understanding of emerging and complex study designs, (2) relevance to professional roles and practice, and (3) demand for advanced methodological training.

conclusionsThere was a substantial shift in knowledge on emerging and complex research study designs. We recommend regular training of NRRA and REC members to improve the quality of review of research protocols with complex and emerging study designs.

Indexed as

Biomedical ResearchCapacity BuildingResearch DesignResearch PersonnelAfrica, EasternCommunicable Diseases, EmergingEthics Committees, ResearchEthics, ResearchFemaleHumansMaleCapacity buildingEmerging and complex study designsNational research regulatory authorityResearchersResearch ethics committees

Identifiers

PMID41772531
PMCPMC13059487

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.