PATH joins WHO’s Global Clinical Trials Forum

PATH has joined the World Health Organization’s (WHO's) newly launched Global Clinical Trials Forum (GCTF), a global, multi-stakeholder network designed to strengthen clinical trial environments and infrastructure at national, regional, and global levels.

The network connects diverse stakeholders—including Member States, regulators, ethics authorities, funders, researchers, civil society, and patient and community engagement organizations—and provides a collaborative platform for members to share guidance, knowledge, and best practices that can help strengthen capacity and advance inclusive, ethical, and impactful clinical trials.

As a member, PATH will bring end-to-end knowledge of the long and complex product lifecycle to the network—in particular, our deep expertise in clinical trial design and implementation. Since 2005, we have partnered on approximately 165 vaccine clinical trials across 34 countries and served as sponsor for 61 of those trials. In the last five years, we have partnered on more than 25 clinical studies involving diagnostics in more than 13 countries.

“Ensuring all countries have the ability to generate reliable clinical data will build a strong clinical trial ecosystem that can help advance sustainable access to health interventions and improve health equity globally,” said Dr. Melanie Saville, PATH’s Chief Scientific Officer. “PATH is proud to join the GCTF network and looks forward to collaborating with partners to make this vision a reality.”

The GCTF responds to a 2022 World Health Assembly resolution that calls for improved quality and coordination of clinical trials, to ensure generation of high-quality and reliable evidence for new health interventions. That resolution led to the development of WHO’s guidance for best practices for clinical trials and the Global Action Plan for Clinical Trial Ecosystem Strengthening, which serve as a guide for GCTF action.

Members will engage across various thematic working groups to advance implementation of best practices, improve clinical trial readiness in health systems, and ensure that evidence generation is equitable and sustainable.

For a full list of launch members, and for more information, visit the WHO website.

About PATH

PATH is a global nonprofit dedicated to achieving health equity. With more than 40 years of experience forging multi-sector partnerships, and with expertise in science, economics, technology, advocacy, and dozens of other specialties, PATH develops and scales up innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing health challenges.