Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Andrew Joseph
Published on 2024-02-22 09:30:45
In the years leading up to Russia’s invasion, Ukraine had become a burgeoning hub of clinical trials, particularly in oncology. The war significantly impacted this aspect of the country’s healthcare industry. As Ukraine marks two years since the invasion, there are increasing calls from researchers and executives to restart clinical trials in the country. They argue that the advantages that initially drew drugmakers to Ukraine still make it desirable to run studies there.
However, the ongoing war is not exactly a selling point for companies considering running clinical trials in Ukraine. There is concern about the potential for fighting to interrupt a study and result in the loss of valuable patient data. Some companies also have policies that restrict running trials in countries with war zones. Despite these concerns, Ukrainian investigators assert that much of the country has adapted to the new reality and that it remains a viable location for clinical trials. Economic activity and daily life have largely resumed, despite occasional air raid sirens.
Additionally, the infrastructure to support clinical trials has been maintained in Ukraine. Researchers have adjusted shipping networks to ensure the quick transport of supplies. Hospitals have generators and Starlink terminals to avoid power outages or severed internet connections. Ukrainian investigators have assured that clinical research is alive and that they have proved their reliability and resilience despite the ongoing war.
Before the invasion, Ukraine was authorizing approximately 200 clinical trials per year, with that number increasing to around 300 in 2021. However, new clinical trials plummeted after the war, with only about 40 starting in the past year. Ukraine had become an attractive location for trials due to its organized and digitized health system and comparatively low costs compared to other European countries. Ukrainian patients were eager to participate in trials that allowed them to access treatments not otherwise available in the country. This made Ukraine an appealing location for companies as well, as it was easier to demonstrate a drug’s benefit through testing in patients who hadn’t tried as many other lines of treatment as their Western European or American counterparts.
Furthermore, clinical trials were a source of income for doctors and revenue for health systems. As a result, Ukraine was second only to India among lower middle-income countries in terms of the number of oncology clinical trials participated in. Although the invasion caused a significant disruption in clinical trials, investigators and businesses have found ways to ensure those that were already underway could continue.
The war in Ukraine is not the first challenge the industry has faced. The 2014 conflict with Russia and the Covid-19 pandemic prompted the industry to incorporate more remote monitoring and telemedicine, which have been helpful in tracking patients during the war. Despite the challenges presented by the war, some companies are starting to come back to Ukraine to run quick studies, often smaller firms with limited budgets seeking to take advantage of the country’s swift enrollment in clinical trials.
As the war continues, Ukrainian researchers and healthcare professionals are hopeful that when it ends, Ukraine will once again become an attractive location for drugmakers to run their trials. However, the labor force in Ukraine has taken a hit, with approximately one in five scientists leaving the country by the fall of 2022. Despite these challenges, many experts in the industry remain optimistic about the potential for Ukraine to regain its status as a desirable location for running clinical trials.
