Ukraine's clinical trials still recruiting despite ongoing war
More than half of Ukraine’s clinical sites are recruiting patients despite the war with Russia
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Almost half of Ukraine’s clinical trial sites are recruiting participants despite the ongoing war with Russia.
New research by Phesi has found that since the beginning of 2022 to October 1st, the number of recruiting sites fell from 1,814 to 940 (a drop of 48 percent). However, despite this decrease in active clinical sites, 52 percent are still recruiting participants.
At the start of the conflict in March 2022, many clinical trials came to a halt.
As Pharma IQ reported, research for certain conditions such as schizophrenia were the most impacted, as more than a quarter (26 percent) of all clinical trials in schizophrenia globally are conducted in Ukraine and Russia. US company Karuna Therapeutics was among those having to pause its activities, with 10 out of its 19 Phase 3 trials in schizophrenia taking place in Ukraine.
A sector in recovery
More than seven months since the war began the sector is showing signs of recovery. In August, German sponsor Arensia announced it had screened its first patient since the start of the conflict at its clinic in Kyiv, to study treatment for ulcerative colitis. In the same month Ukrainian medical research firm Ok!Clinic+ reopened enrolment for studies in ulcerative colitis, gynecology and oncohematology.
The European Medicines Agency issued guidance for clinical trial sponsors to continue their activities in April 2022, advising that “whenever feasible and in the interest of their continuing care, patients should be offered to continue receiving treatment and supported to stay in the trial as long as this does not imply a safety risk”.
The agency advised sponsors to adjust the way they run clinical trials using the experience gained during the Covid-19 pandemic. This includes making arrangements to transfer trial participants fleeing Ukraine to other investigator sites of the same trial within European Union countries and implementing special measures to protect participants’ rights and safety.
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- Top five countries running the most clinical trials
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