The harmonisation of procedures and documentation applicable to clinical trials was a key focus of the 20th CT-Luso Project coordination meeting, held on 6 May 2026 and bringing together partners from the different countries involved in the initiative.
During the meeting, moderated by Project Coordinator Maria do Céu Patrão Neves, it was highlighted that the practical case discussion phase is nearing completion, marking the end of a central stage of the ongoing training programme.
Partners also discussed the next stage, which will include five sessions dedicated to developing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and harmonised form templates aligned with international standards applicable to clinical trials, promoting greater convergence of practices across Portuguese-speaking countries.
CT-Luso Scientific Coordinator Esperança Sevene and Pedro Barata, member of the scientific team and representative of the Commission for Clinical Research Ethics (CEIC), stressed the importance of this process for strengthening the ethical, scientific and regulatory capacities of partner countries.
The meeting also provided an opportunity to review the webinars organised by the project, including the latest session dedicated to [clinical research involving vulnerable populations], which generated extensive discussion.
Among the main lines of action identified to maximise the project’s impact were high-level meetings with the Ministries of Health of partner countries, strengthened institutional awareness, the creation of inter-institutional monitoring and discussion groups, and the integration of CT-Luso training content into the internal training programmes of partner institutions.
The importance of strengthening relations with the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries (CPLP), diplomatic missions and other strategic entities involved in Lusophone cooperation in the fields of health and clinical research was also emphasised.
At the end of the meeting, the partners announced an in-person training programme in Lisbon, scheduled for the last week of October under Work Package 6, which will bring together project partners and experts for a session focused on technical development and consolidating the collaborative work carried out over the previous months.
