Speakers and presentations
Shaping the future: advancing equitable and ethical research to meet women’s therapeutic needs
Location: Kigali Convention Center, Room MH3
Date & time: Tuesday, 17 June from 16:30 to 18:00
Dr Stephanie Dellicour, Principal Research Associate, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM), United Kingdom
Presentation: Protecting pregnant women through research rather than from research: Introduction to a paradigm shift
Dr Innocent Valea, Centre National de Recherche Scientifique et Technologique/ Institut De Recherche en Sciences de la Santé (CRUN-IRSS), Burkina Faso
Presentation: Community engagement to overcome the ethical challenges of involving pregnant women in clinical trials – learnings from previous studies and SAFIRE formative research
Prof. Kassoum Kayentao, Université des Sciences, des Techniques et des Technologies de Bamako (USTTB)/ International Center for Excellence in Research (ICER), Mali
Presentation: Paving the way to equitable access to malaria treatments, top line results from PYRAPREG and MiMBa
Panelists
Dr Esperança Sevene, Eduardo Mondlane University/Manhiça Health Research Centre (CISM), Mozambique
Prof. Umberto D’Alessandro, Medical Research Council The Gambia/London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), United Kingdom
Chairs
Dr Hellen Barsosio, Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), Kenya
Dr Myriam El Gaaloul, Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV), Switzerland
Abstract
Pregnant and lactating women are generally left behind in research due to the historical reluctance to include them in clinical trials. Therefore, when a new drug is registered, there is usually limited data on its safety, tolerability and efficacy in pregnancy, resulting in new and effective therapies being withheld from use in pregnancy, especially in the first trimester.
Significant progress towards “protecting pregnant women through research rather than from research” has been made in the field of malaria, a disease that can have devasting consequences in pregnancy for both the mother and developing foetus. This symposium also marks the start of the 5th year of the Malaria in Mothers and Babies (MiMBa) strategy—a milestone that invites not only reflection on progress to date, but also renewed commitment and forward planning to improve outcomes for mothers and babies affected by malaria.
This symposium will showcase how ethical and equitable approaches pioneered in groundbreaking malaria programmes such as PYRAPREG, MiMBa and SAFIRE can be applied to broader health challenges and other disease areas.
A panel discussion between the speakers and Esperança Sevene (Eduardo Mondlane University/Manhiça Health Research Centre) and Umberto D’Alessandro (MRC Unit The Gambia/London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine) will help exam the challenges and successes of including pregnant women in research, from local ethics and regulatory approvals to participatory approaches changing the way clinical trials are conducted. These efforts aim to contribute to better health outcomes globally through robust and inclusive research partnerships.
Visit the EDCTP Forum website for more information on this scientific symposium.