BMJ  2005;331:742 (1 October), doi:10.1136/bmj.331.7519.742

Paper

Randomised controlled trials in Africa of HIV and AIDS: descriptive study and spatial distribution

¹ UK Cochrane Centre, Oxford OX2 7LG, ² Primary Health Care Directorate, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa

Objectives To identify and describe randomised controlled trials on HIV and AIDS conducted in Africa and to map their spatial distribution using exact geographic coordinates.

Design Construction and analysis of a database of trials conducted wholly or partly in Africa and reported before 2004.

Data sources CENTRAL, Medline, Embase, and LILACS.

Results Our comprehensive search yielded 284 distinct records that were potentially eligible for inclusion in the database. Of these, 150 articles reported on 77 eligible trials published or reported from 1987 to 2003. Seven trials were identified exclusively from the CENTRAL database. Trials were conducted in 18 of 48 countries in sub-Saharan Africa. None were conducted in north Africa. Only 19 had a principal investigator located in an African country. Forty two trials assessed prevention and 35 assessed treatment. Most studies were funded by government agencies outside Africa (n = 43), with the pharmaceutical industry providing partial support to 16 of these. The pharmaceutical industry provided full or partial support to a further 18 trials. Only 43 trials reported conducting a power calculation for determining sample size. There was no mention of ethical approval or informed consent in 19 and 17 trials, respectively.

Conclusion The relatively small number of HIV/AIDS trials conducted in Africa is not commensurate with the burden of disease. Geographical mapping as an adjunct to prospective trial registration is a useful tool for researchers and decision makers to track existing and future trials.

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

Relevant Articles

Principles for international registration of protocol information and results from human trials of health related interventions: Ottawa statement (part 1)

Karmela Krleza-Jeric, An-Wen Chan, Kay Dickersin, Ida Sim, Jeremy Grimshaw, Christian Gluud for the Ottawa Group
BMJ 2005 330: 956-958. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Pharmaceutical industry sponsorship and research outcome and quality: systematic review

Joel Lexchin, Lisa A Bero, Benjamin Djulbegovic, and Otavio Clark
BMJ 2003 326: 1167-1170. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Relation between burden of disease and randomised evidence in sub-Saharan Africa: survey of research

Petros Isaakidis, George H Swingler, Elizabeth Pienaar, Jimmy Volmink, and John P A Ioannidis
BMJ 2002 324: 702. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

North-South research partnerships: the ethics of carrying out research in developing countries

Tessa Tan-Torres Edejer
BMJ 1999 319: 438-441. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Systematic Reviews: Identifying relevant studies for systematic reviews

K Dickersin, R Scherer, and C Lefebvre
BMJ 1994 309: 1286-1291. [Abstract] [Full Text]

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Hallett, T. B, White, P. J, Garnett, G. P (2007). Appropriate evaluation of HIV prevention interventions: from experiment to full-scale implementation. Sex. Transm. Infect. 83: i55-i60 [Abstract] [Full text]  
• Hosseinipour, M. C., Neuhann, F. H., Kanyama, C. C., Namarika, D. C., Weigel, R., Miller, W., Phiri, S. J. P. (2006). Lessons Learned From a Paying Antiretroviral Therapy Service in the Public Health Sector at Kamuzu Central Hospital, Malawi: 1-Year Experience. J Int Assoc Physicians AIDS Care (Chic Ill) 5: 103-108 [Abstract]  

Online poll

Find out more >>