Clinical Research in Ghana: Accuracy and Reliability of Laboratory Results

Abstract

The rising cost of clinical research is driving the current trend of outsourcing to developing countries1. Many developing countries, such as Ghana, conduct research but face many challenges in ensuring that the trial conduct and results conform to internationalstandards2. Such challenges include staff recruitment and retention3 and the reliability of laboratory results. Ethical aspects of research are governed by international regulations but policing and enforcing such regulations are less well documented. There arechallenges to overcome, including reliability of laboratory results and inadequate resources, with overreliance on those that are adequate. Thus there is a need to develop a research infrastructure that can cope with these challenges.