Center for Global Development’s “Global Health Policy Blog”: Research in the Time of Ebola: How We Can Do Better
Mead Over, senior fellow, and Roxanne Oroxom, research associate, both at CGD, discuss takeaways from an event that featured a presentation of findings from a report by the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) on integrating clinical research into the Ebola response. The authors write, “The [NASEM] committee determined that randomized-controlled trials are both ethical and functional during outbreaks, but that communities must first be prepared through meaningful engagement. The committee also stressed that any research must be scientifically rigorous and driven by the needs of a diverse set of stakeholders, including local communities and response organizations … It’s time to take epidemic-time clinical research seriously and develop a sound and inclusive strategy around it” (8/29).