Knowledge Extraction and Local Utilization of Clinical Trial Evidence in Uganda: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Keywords
Local Utilization
Clinical Trial Evidence
How to Cite
Abstract
Introduction
The globalization of clinical research has increased trial activity in Africa, including Uganda, yet concerns persist about unequal knowledge flows. Evidence generated in African settings is often analysed and published in Northern institutions, limiting local access and utilization.
Objectives
To assess knowledge extraction and local utilization of clinical trial evidence in Uganda.
Methods
A systematic review and meta-analysis of trial registrations and publications used databases and bibliometric sources. The knowledge value chain from registration to application was analysed. The primary outcome was the knowledge-return ratio, measuring locally applied evidence.
Results
Seventy-two percent of data were analysed in Northern institutions, 65 percent of publications were paywalled, and only 18 percent were implemented locally.
Discussion
Findings indicate persistent imbalance and limited translation into Ugandan healthcare.
References
References
Chan, A. W., Song, F., Vickers, A., Jefferson, T., Dickersin, K., Gøtzsche, P. C., … & van der Worp, H. B. (2014). Increasing value and reducing waste: addressing inaccessible research. The Lancet, 383(9913), 257–266.
Okeke, I. N., Babalola, C. P., Byarugaba, D. K., Djimde, A., & Osoniyi, O. R. (2022). Broadening participation in the biomedical sciences: African perspectives. Nature Medicine, 28(1), 10–12.
UNAIDS. (2021). Open access to scientific knowledge and equitable research dissemination. Geneva: Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Copyright (c) 2026 Adrine Nyamwiza
Similar Articles
- Soham Ganguly, Deconstructing the "Apples and Oranges" Problem in Mechanical Circulatory Support: A Computational Approach , Synthēsis: Vol. 1 No. 1 (2025): Cardiology
- Niraj S Kumar, Ruhani Singh, AS-Logic: Computing the Tipping Point in Asymptomatic Severe Aortic Stenosis , Synthēsis: Vol. 3 No. 1 (2026): Volume 3
- Laiba Khan, Maham Khan, Muhammad Hamza Khan, Joanne Lac, Transcatheter Treatment for Severe Symptomatic Tricuspid Regurgitation: A Rapid Meta-Analysis of Randomised Evidence (2025) , Synthēsis: Vol. 1 No. 1 (2025): Cardiology
- Nicholus Sebudde , Joanitah Namatovu , Edith Kanyesigye, Martha Alice Namiiro , Bitness Lyabagaga , Edith Kanyesigye , Olivia Amumpaire , Rhoda Chikula, Muhammad Musoke , Jireh Kirabo , Samuel Munyole , Osadebamwen Nibokun Eghaghe , Bruce Tukamushaba , Njongang Vigny Njeodo , Amina Fidow Mohamud, Michael Antwi Bosiako , Christine Muhumuza , Fadumo Said Hassan , Adrine Nyamwiza , Ruchius Philbert, Ronnie Ssenfuma , Yusuf Murtala Muhammad , joshua Tulengerayo , Berhane Natinael , Anna Nakirabira , Derrick Tumwesigye , Justine Kirabo , Kumbukani Chikosa , Joy Osifo , Natinael Berhane yeshanew , Joshua Tulengerayo, Vulnerable Population Protection: Structural Inequalities in Clinical Trial Investment , Synthēsis: Vol. 8 No. 1 (2026): Volume 8
- Ronnie Ssenfuma, TruthCert: A Fail-Closed Certification Protocol for LLM Outputs in Evidence Synthesis , Synthēsis: Vol. 5 No. 1 (2026): Volume 5
- Tulengerayo Joshua, Author Sovereignty Gap in African Clinical Trial Publications , Synthēsis: Vol. 2 No. 2 (2026): Volume 2
- Caroline Nakalema, Peter Mulindwa, Ahmad Mahmood , Research Sovereignty in African Clinical Trials: A Network Analysis of Global North and Global South Partnerships. , Synthēsis: Vol. 7 No. 1 (2026): Volume 7
- Adrine Nyamwiza, Olivia Amumpaire , Joanitah Namatovu, Felix Awuriki Kofi, Justine Kirabo, Natinael Berhane yeshanew, Edith Kanyesigye, Joy Osifo, Alice Namiiro Martha, Bitness Lyabagaga, Chikosa Kumbukani , Ronnie Ssenfuma, Bruce Tukamushaba, Shamim Nabidda, Amina Mohamud Fidow, Rhoda Chikula, Ruchius Philbert, Fadumo Said Hassan, Njeodo Njongang Vigny, Christine Muhumuza , Michael Bosiako Antwi , Technology Transfer & Capacity Building: A Forensic Audit of Clinical Trial Equity in Uganda , Synthēsis: Vol. 2 No. 2 (2026): Volume 2
- Ronald Bwambale, Mutebi, Nelson Nsubuga, Janepher Nabaasa, Aggrey Gavamukulya, Persis Tikabulamu, Geofrey Emesu, Phiona Obbo , Inequities in Clinical Trial Distribution for Neglected Tropical Diseases: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Global Research Concentration , Synthēsis: Vol. 7 No. 1 (2026): Volume 7
- John Kokas Obwiin, Geographic Inequity in African Clinical Trials: A Systematic Review Evidence of a Port-City Advantage , Synthēsis: Vol. 3 No. 1 (2026): Volume 3
You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.
Most read articles by the same author(s)
- Adrine Nyamwiza, Olivia Amumpaire , Joanitah Namatovu, Felix Awuriki Kofi, Justine Kirabo, Natinael Berhane yeshanew, Edith Kanyesigye, Joy Osifo, Alice Namiiro Martha, Bitness Lyabagaga, Chikosa Kumbukani , Ronnie Ssenfuma, Bruce Tukamushaba, Shamim Nabidda, Amina Mohamud Fidow, Rhoda Chikula, Ruchius Philbert, Fadumo Said Hassan, Njeodo Njongang Vigny, Christine Muhumuza , Michael Bosiako Antwi , Technology Transfer & Capacity Building: A Forensic Audit of Clinical Trial Equity in Uganda , Synthēsis: Vol. 2 No. 2 (2026): Volume 2
- Fadumo Said Hassan , Charles Bafaki, Kumbukani Chikosa, Kirabo Justine, Derrick Tumwesigye , Anna Nakirabira , Mukisa Paul Brian, Tulengerayo Joshua, Muhammad Murtala Yusuf , Joy Osifo, Ssenfuma Ronnie , Amina Mohamud Fidow, Rhoda Chikula, Adrine Nyamwiza, Christine Muhumuza, Ruchius Philbert, Kirabo Jireh , Musoke Muhammad , Munyole Samuel , Sebudde Nicholus, Eghaghe Osadebamwen Nibokun , Natinael Berhane, Tukamushaba Bruce, Shamim Nabidda, Amumpaire Olivia , Kanyesigye Edith , Bitness Lyabagaga, Njeodo Njongang Vigny , Predatory Journal Risk and Structural Inequities in African Research Publishing: Implications for Uganda , Synthēsis: Vol. 6 No. 1 (2026): Volume 6
- Samuel Munyole, Alice Martha Namiiro, Bitness Edward Lyabagaga, Edith Kanyesigye, Joanitah Namatovu, Olivia Amumpaire, Nicholus Sebudde, Muhammad Musoke, Jireh Kirabo, Anna Nakirabira, Eghaghe Osadebamwen Nibokun, Bruce Tukamushaba, Shamim Nabidda, Njeodo Njongang Vigny, Micheal Bosaiko, Christine Muhumuza, Fadumo Said Hassan, Ruchius Philbert, Rhoda Chikula, Amina Mohamud Fidow, Ronnie Ssenfuma, Joy Osifo, Muhammad Murtala Yusuf, Joshua Tulengerayo, Natineal Berhane, Paul Brian Mukisa, Adrine Nyamwiza, Network Centrality and Research Sovereignty in African Clinical Trials: Evidence from a Global Registry Analysis , Synthēsis: Vol. 7 No. 1 (2026): Volume 7
- Michael Antwi Bosiako , Kirabo Justine, Derrick Tumwesigye , Anna Nakirabira, Mukisa Paul Brian , Natinael Berhane, Tulengerayo Joshua , Muhammad Murtala Yusuf , Rhoda Chikula, Joy Osifo, Ronnie Ssenfuma , Adrine Nyamwiza, Fadumo Said Hassan , Osadebamwen Nibokun Eghaghe, Amina Fidow Mohamud , Ruchius Philbert, Njongang Vigny Njeodo , Bruce Tukamushaba , Samuel Munyole, Shamim Nabidda , Christine Muhumuza, Musoke Muhammad , Sebudde Nicholus , Kanyesigye Edith , Amumpaire Olivia , Africa’s Youth Researcher Pipeline and Structural Inequities in Clinical Trial Leadership: Implications for Uganda and the African Continent. , Synthēsis: Vol. 8 No. 1 (2026): Volume 8
- Nicholus Sebudde , Joanitah Namatovu , Edith Kanyesigye, Martha Alice Namiiro , Bitness Lyabagaga , Edith Kanyesigye , Olivia Amumpaire , Rhoda Chikula, Muhammad Musoke , Jireh Kirabo , Samuel Munyole , Osadebamwen Nibokun Eghaghe , Bruce Tukamushaba , Njongang Vigny Njeodo , Amina Fidow Mohamud, Michael Antwi Bosiako , Christine Muhumuza , Fadumo Said Hassan , Adrine Nyamwiza , Ruchius Philbert, Ronnie Ssenfuma , Yusuf Murtala Muhammad , joshua Tulengerayo , Berhane Natinael , Anna Nakirabira , Derrick Tumwesigye , Justine Kirabo , Kumbukani Chikosa , Joy Osifo , Natinael Berhane yeshanew , Joshua Tulengerayo, Vulnerable Population Protection: Structural Inequalities in Clinical Trial Investment , Synthēsis: Vol. 8 No. 1 (2026): Volume 8
- Kumbukani Chikosa, Amumpaire Olivia, Bitness Lyabagaga, Njeodo Njongang Vigny, Natinael Berhane, Sebudde Nicholus, Musoke Muhammad, Kirabo Jireh, Muhammad Murtala, Shamim Nabidda, Tukamushaba Bruce, Munyole Samuel, Eghaghe Osadebamwen, Michael Bosiako Antwi , Christine Muhumuza, Fadumo Said Hassan, Adrine Nyamwiza, Ruchius Philbert, Rhoda Chikula, Amina Mohamud Fidow, Ssenfuma Ronnie, Joy Osifo, Tulengerayo Joshua, Mukisa Paul Brian, Derrick Tumwesigye, Kirabo Justine, Pharma Continental Pipeline , Synthēsis: Vol. 5 No. 1 (2026): Volume 5