Promoting community engagement for clinical trials in Asia

Public support is essential for the success of clinical trials, particularly in Asia, where scepticism toward medical research is prevalent. ADVANCE-ID, a network of over 80 hospitals across the region, strongly advocates for integrating community engagement into trial design and execution. Previously, ADVANCE-ID received an award from the Wellcome Trust to conduct a Phase II trial for a novel antibiotic targeting antimicrobial resistance. Building on this, our proposal seeks to develop, implement, and evaluate comprehensive community engagement strategies alongside this Phase II clinical trial. The key objectives are to increase public understanding and support for clinical trials, establish three regional hubs with long-term engagement capacity, and create scalable frameworks, tools, and impact metrics. Over three years, the project will proceed in three phases: (1) recruit local champions to design tailored interventions, (2) build and train local teams to strengthen engagement capacity, and (3) evaluate the interventions' impact. Success will be measured by trial enrollment, retention rates, community surveys, and policy shifts. The outcomes will be shared through scientific publications, academic centres, and international health authorities like the WHO, offering valuable insights into best practices for community engagement in clinical trials across Asia and beyond.