News

September 12, 2025

As health innovation advances, questions arise about the role of research ethics review within a wider research ecosystem. Dr. Ndebele and collaborators argue that ethical conduct in health research is a shared responsibility across funders, governments, institutions, researchers, and ethics committees. They call for a more collaborative, non-adversarial relationship between stakeholders and a reconceptualization of ethics committees’ role.

July 9, 2025

Genomics and biobanking are rapidly expanding across Africa, but ethical governance hasn’t kept pace. Dr. Ndebele and colleagues reviewed seven years of research protocols submitted to the Medical Research Council of Zimbabwe, uncovering major gaps in ethical planning. Key issues included limited focus on benefit sharing, consent for future use, and intellectual property. Results highlight broader challenges of governance and equity in Zimbabwe’s genomic research landscape.

June 30, 2025

This paper highlights how research ethics training programs have strengthened bioethics in West Africa over the past decade. Central to this effort was the West Africa Bioethics Training Program in Nigeria, which served as a model for initiatives in Ghana, Mali, and Gambia. CCDH authors and other collaborators outline key successes, challenges, and strategies to further advance ethics education and governance in the region

June 30, 2025

Dr. Ndebele and coauthors examined a decade of initiatives to strengthen research ethics in Southern Africa. The paper demonstrated how these programs built tailored curriculum, trained diverse professionals, and improved representation in research ethics leadership. Despite challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic, these initiatives advance regional and global capacity for ethical health research, underscoring the need for continued investment in ethics.

June 28, 2025

CCDH team and colleagues conducted a scoping review to examine how social norms and cultural factors influence road safety behaviors among young people in LMICs. The review found that norms shape risky driving, helmet and seat belt use, and compliance with traffic laws, often moderated by gender, media, and religion.

June 6, 2025

Co-authored by Nino Paichadze, this study examined injury patterns in emergency departments across urban Mozambique. Analyzing 7,809 cases, findings show that injuries accounted for about one-quarter of all emergency visits, with falls, physical violence, and road traffic accidents as the leading causes. Injuries varied by age, location, and season, highlighting factors to guide improved injury prevention and emergency care planning in Mozambique.

May 15, 2025

Dr. Ndebele and coauthors explore the rarely discussed ethical question of using genome modification to deliberately eradicate entire species. Examining three case studies, they argue that while full extinction might be justified in extremely rare circumstances, it raises deep tensions with conservation values and the governance of genome editing.

April 10, 2025

In hospitals across Cambodia, Ethiopia, Mexico, and Zambia, most road traffic injury deaths involved young men, often pedestrians or riders of two- or three-wheeled vehicles. CCDH authors identified moderate-severe Glasgow Coma Scale (indicative of traumatic brain injury), low blood pressure, and riding two- or three-wheelers as key risk factors for mortality in hospital. Findings highlight the need for stronger prevention measures, such as lower speed limits and helmet wearing, as well as capacity building of neurosurgery and rapid triage systems.

January 2, 2025

CCDH authors analyzed the evolution of publications on health policy and systems research for the last 20 years in 11 low- and middle-income countries and found a 34% average growth rate. They also find that the role of the Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research as a funder in this field has been significant.

December 1, 2024

A scoping review, co-authored by Dr. Paichadze, found that unhealthy commodity industries use intimidation tactics to target policymakers, advocates, and researchers. In the tobacco, alcohol, and ultra-processed food sectors, these tactics include public discreditation, legal threats, and surveillance to obstruct regulations that threaten their interests. The findings highlight the importance of understanding the scale of intimidation, impacts on wellbeing, and developing strategies for responding.

November 18, 2024

CCDH authors assessed the psychometric properties of WHODAS 2.0 (a scale for measuring disability) in Bangladesh with road traffic injury victims and found that the tool was valid and reliable.

November 9, 2024

Civilian gun violence claims an estimated 600 lives daily worldwide. The Lancet Commission on Global Gun Violence, led by Dr. Adnan Hyder, will analyze the epidemiological, demographic, economic, and social factors that affect the relationship between gun violence and health. This Commission consists of an interdisciplinary group of international experts working to study intervention options and develop policy recommendations.