Short-term impact of celebrating the international clinical trial day: experience from Ethiopia

Abebaw Fekadu, Asrat Hailu, Eyasu Makonnen, Anteneh Belete, Getnet Yimer

Just over 2 years ago on 20 May 2014, we celebrated the first International Clinical Trial Day (ICTD) in Ethiopia at the College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University. The main aim of the celebration was to express solidarity with clinical researchers, particularly clinical trialists, across the world. Since this first celebration, several major steps have been taken with potential for improving the conduct of clinical trials in our institution and more broadly within the country. These have included policy impact, particularly commitment from the government and the institution for supporting clinical trials and for the broader improvement of access to medicines. A Clinical Trial Unit, led by a multi-disciplinary team of researchers, has been established. A regional centre of excellence is being established to build regional capacity for translational research and clinical trials. These are important outputs attributable to the celebration of the ICTD. We encourage ICTD celebration at institutions conducting clinical research. This is likely to have unanticipated positive institutional, national and even regional consequences.