Pragmatism in practice: lessons learned during screening and enrollment for a randomised controlled trial in rural northern Ethiopia

We use the example of the Gojjam Lymphoedema Best Practice Trial (GoLBeT), a pragmatic trial in a remote rural setting in northern Ethiopia, to extract lessons relevant to other investigators balancing the demands of practicality and community acceptability with internal and external validity in clinical trials.

Quality Assurance Plan for Clinical Research Studies: A Template and Guide

All research studies on human subjects should have a level of quality and ethical standard assurance built into their operations to ensure that that the rights and well-being of human subjects are protected and that the data are reliable. This combined template and guide assists research teams in developing a QA plan for their study.

The REDe Guide to Clinical Research Practical Data Quality Monitoring

This guide will set out why quality management and monitoring is important and how it can be easily and practically built into a study. 

How to set up an In-House Monitoring Scheme

A coherent four step plan for implementing in-house or reciprocal monitoring systems at a research site

Reciprocal Monitoring: A proven and practical approach to quality management within research networks and centres

There has been a trend over recent years towards the use of expensive contract organisations to monitor research studies and this can be expensive and is not necessary. This overview explains the reasons for reciprocal monitoring, and how it can benefit research groups.

The REDe Guide to Clinical Research Practical Quality Monitoring

One of the goals of the REDe network is to support the conduct of high quality research by providing tools, training and guidance in all the elements that are required. A very fundamental, but often overlooked, piece in this is the planning and implementation of research quality management (which is often referred to as monitoring).

Health research capacity development in low and middle income countries: reality or rhetoric?

There has been steady progress in LMIC health research capacity, but major barriers to research persist and more empirical evidence on development strategies is required.

A Guide to Grant Writing (available in English and Spanish)

Grant applications differ substantially depending on the individual funding organisation, and each funding organisation has its own organisational aims, which are important to understand when you are considering which grant to apply to. In this article we provide practical tips and information for writing grant applications, which can be applied to grant applications of all sorts, from fellowships to large funding applications.

Research Administration and Grant Management

Links to resources provided by iRIM (the Initiative on Research and Innovation Management) - free online presentations and tutorials relating to how to manage grants and perform administration of clinical research projects effectively.

Monitoring - A Gradual Process

New to monitoring clinical research trials? Ogundokun Olusegun outlines some of the responsibilities and tasks that the role involves, from revieiwing sites and managing research centers to the lifestyle pressures on the road.

Downloadable Templates and Tools for Clinical Research

A range of downloadable templates and tools for Clinical Research, including monitoring checklists, budget spreadsheets, informed consent forms, SOPs and so on.

Reciprocal Monitoring Scheme Guidance

This article explains how an East Africa Research Group have developed and applied a highly pragmatic an effective monitoring system. This group train research staff to monitor or perform QC on studies and then implement a system of reciprocal monitoring between studies. It is cost effective and works well.

Clinical Trial Monitoring

What is the definition of clinical trial monitoring? Who can be a monitor? What are the monitor's roles and responsibilities? Read on for some answers.