The 10th meeting of the CT Luso project took place on 4 June, marking the end of a six-month training cycle that brought together professionals from Portuguese-speaking African countries to discuss key issues relating to clinical trials and regulation.
The session was moderated by Maria Alexandra Ribeiro, project consultant, and attended by representatives of partner institutions and trainees.
The consultant highlighted the positive results of the training, with a low failure rate — between 1% and 9% — and a success rate of around 75%. ‘This is a significant result, which demonstrates the commitment and seriousness of the trainees throughout the six months of training, which will allow them to obtain 12 ECTS (European credits),’ she stressed. In total, 213 trainees took the final test, and those who did not pass will still have the opportunity to submit a recovery assignment.
This was followed by a speech by Professor Beatriz Lima, representing the Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Lisbon, who summarised Module 6 - International Regulatory Systems, describing it as ‘extraordinarily well attended’. The lecturer highlighted the enthusiasm and quality of the debate, emphasising the involvement of the trainees and the relevance of the topic in the current context of the partner countries.
José Reis, a Cape Verdean clinical psychologist, called for the sharing of experiences to continue: ‘The training may be over, but our exchange of ideas should not end here. This network of contacts and learning is very valuable.’
João Semedo, also a lawyer from Cape Verde, said that it had been ‘six months of intense learning, in which we acquired a set of knowledge that I hope will be very useful.’
Mouhammed Djicó, director of services and researcher at the National Institute of Public Health of Guinea-Bissau, considered that “these six months have been very well spent. We had already had training under BERC-Luso, but this was a real complement. The group was very diverse, and it was worth being here throughout this period. We leave with knowledge and experiences that will enrich our journey and practice in our countries."
Another highlight of the meeting was the creation of the Commission to monitor the CT Luso project in Guinea-Bissau, presented as an inspiring example for other countries. The meeting's moderator, Maria Alexandra Ribeiro, challenged participants to promote similar initiatives, reinforcing the role of national structures in the regulatory area.
There was also time to take stock of the organisation of the International Lusophone Symposium. CT Luso's Communications Advisor, Ana Sofia Calaça, called on all partners to mobilise to publicise the event by sharing the save the date and the information available on the official website.
The meeting ended with a clear message: the end of the training does not mean the end of the joint work. On the contrary, it paves the way for new phases of collaboration, sharing and collective construction, in a continuous effort to strengthen regulatory and scientific capacity in the Lusophone space.
