Caroline Fry

Abstract

Advancing innovative solutions to address significant global health challenges requires individuals who possess the necessary knowledge and skills to execute crucial tasks. Acquiring such expertise is possible through involvement in innovative processes. This paper investigates how participation in a clinical trial influences the involvement of scientists in Sub-Saharan Africa in subsequent, similar projects. We document that participation in a clinical trial increases scientists' future involvement in trials, particularly in the same disease area, with the most significant impact seen in scientists without prior trial experience. This suggests that knowledge and skills acquired in the initial project are transferable to subsequent endeavors. However, we also find that scientists working in countries with lower initial trial capacity have limited increases in subsequent clinical trial involvement following trial experience. The results suggest that efforts to improve innovative capabilities to solve health challenges will require both investments in individuals to provide the necessary experience and efforts to improve the institutional environments in which the researchers are embedded.