On May 20 this year, the Clinical Trials Group (CTG) of MRC Unit The Gambia celebrated International Clinical Trials Day. To mark the day, which is celebrated globally as the day in 1747 when James Lind started what is considered to be the first-ever randomised clinical trial in which he developed the theory that citrus fruits cured scurvy.The celebrations this year coincided with the 96th meeting of the CTG, in an exciting topic “An overview of the Clinical Trials Group and the way forward”.
The CTG has 70 members comprising of Principal Investigators, Clinical Trial Coordinators, Research Clinicians, Nurses, Clinical Trial Assistants, Field Workers and Project Managers. They meet on a monthly basis, to learn and share knowledge on clinical trials and research in general. Over 30 staff in attendance, Vivat Thomas-Njie, Coordinator of the Clinical Trials Support Office (CTSO), highlighted the history of the CTG and explained how it was initiated in January 2008 by Dr Kalifa Bojang, Senior Researcher/Head of Paediatric Department, Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital/University of The Gambia and Dr Jenny Mueller, the then Head of Clinical Trials Support Office. She further elaborated on the many achievements of CTG in the support of researchers in The Unit to conduct clinical trials that are Good Clinical Practice (GCP) compliant.