Project description
Improving southern Africa’s regulatory capacity for clinical trials
Access to quality and affordable medical products is limited in southern Africa. The problem stems from deficiencies in technical expertise, policies, guidelines and regulatory systems, along with a pressing need for competent regulatory professionals. The effectiveness of regional collaborations could be improved. The SEARCH I project worked towards harmonising regional efforts to address regulatory challenges. The EU-funded SEARCH II project will now enhance Southern Africa’s regulatory capacity and technical expertise to facilitate the successful implementation of clinical trials within the second phase of clinical trials partnership. The project’s goal is to advocate for the establishment and structuring of NRAs and NECs in Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia and Zambia.
Objective
The Southern Africa Regulatory for Clinical Research (SEARCH) is a consortium established in 2020 under the second program of the EDCTP, designed to develop and promote a framework for collaboration, harmonization process and support regulatory capacity and develop technical expertise in Southern African countries to support the conduct of clinical trials (CT). It is composed of four institutions from Southern Africa and one European. In this proposal, SEARCH II, eight institutions come together to strengthen and increase the capacities for the clinical trials review process in Southern Africa built from the SEARCH I project, including the issuance of relevant permits, CT oversight and clinical research pharmacovigilance and post-trial market authorisation by NRAs. However, insufficient access to quality, safe, efficacious and affordable medical products in Southern Africa has imposed significant challenges on public health for decades. This, in part, is attributed to weakness or absence of technical expertise, lack of policies, guidelines and regulatory systems, a lack of competent regulatory professionals in the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRAs) and ineffective regional collaborations among the NRAs and NECs. In response to these regulatory challenges, the SEARCH I project initiated a process of regional harmonisation efforts and conducted SWOT analysis among the southern African members, and developed a comprehensive common plan for continuous improvement and overcoming gaps at the beneficiary country level and effective harmonization of regulatory and ethical review processes. The SEARCH II project aims to support the national regulatory capacity system, develop technical expertise and continue promoting the South-South and North-South collaboration built from the SEARCH I project, while also enhancing and advocating the establishment and structuring of NRAs and NECs in Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia and Zambia.
Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.2.1 - Health
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-JU-CSA - HORIZON JU Coordination and Support Actions
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-JU-GH-EDCTP3-2022-01
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
4200 078 PORTO
Portugal
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.