A new project RER-CTO (Regulatory and Ethics Readiness for Clinical Trials Oversight) aimed at achieving excellence and harmonization in clinical trial oversight across sub-Saharan Africa has been launched, backed by nearly 1 million euros in funding from the Global Health EDCTP3 Joint Undertaking.
RER-CTO brings together seven leading institutions: the University of Oslo, Karolinska Institutet, Armauer Hansen Research Institute, Tanzania Medicines and Medical Devices Authority, Ethiopian Food and Drug Authority, National Institute for Medical Research, and Ethiopia's Ministry of Education.
Coordinated by the University of Oslo, with Prof. Eleni Aklillu from Karolinska Institutet serving as the principal investigator for Sweden, the three-year project aims to bolster the capacity and capability of national regulatory authorities (NRAs) and national ethics committees (NECs) in Ethiopia and Tanzania. The focus is on improving legal and policy frameworks, enhancing regulatory and research ethics oversight, and fostering stronger collaborations at local, regional, and international levels.
By the end of its term, RER-CTO seeks to set new standards for ethics and regulatory functions in the region, ensuring robust and harmonized clinical trial oversight that aligns with global best practices.
