PEARLES challenges and solutions to the implementation of clinical research responses to epidemics and pandemics: a scoping review

Summary: Conducting clinical research in response to infectious disease outbreaks presents unique challenges. In a previous review, we identified a range of political, economic, administrative, regulatory, logistical, ethical and social (PEARLES) challenges and proposed solutions to effective implem...

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Main Authors: Branagh Crealock-Ashurst, Shanthi Levanita, Sandrena Ruth Frischer, Sophia Adhikari, Winnie Mwebia, Zaharat Kadri-Alabi, Laura Davidson, Lisha Jeena, Megan Evans, Gabriella Morley, Eli Harriss, Gail Carson, Alice Norton, Louise Sigfrid
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-07-01
Series:EClinicalMedicine
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589537025002263
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author Branagh Crealock-Ashurst
Shanthi Levanita
Sandrena Ruth Frischer
Sophia Adhikari
Winnie Mwebia
Zaharat Kadri-Alabi
Laura Davidson
Lisha Jeena
Megan Evans
Gabriella Morley
Eli Harriss
Gail Carson
Alice Norton
Louise Sigfrid
author_facet Branagh Crealock-Ashurst
Shanthi Levanita
Sandrena Ruth Frischer
Sophia Adhikari
Winnie Mwebia
Zaharat Kadri-Alabi
Laura Davidson
Lisha Jeena
Megan Evans
Gabriella Morley
Eli Harriss
Gail Carson
Alice Norton
Louise Sigfrid
author_sort Branagh Crealock-Ashurst
collection DOAJ
description Summary: Conducting clinical research in response to infectious disease outbreaks presents unique challenges. In a previous review, we identified a range of political, economic, administrative, regulatory, logistical, ethical and social (PEARLES) challenges and proposed solutions to effective implementation of outbreak research responses. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, we conducted an update to explore if solutions recommended had been implemented, or new challenges identified. We searched seven databases (Ovid MEDLINE, Global Health, Embase, and PsycINFO, Scopus, Epistemonikos, Google Scholar) and grey literature from 01/06/2018 to 28/09/2023 for studies presenting PEARLES challenges/solutions to epi/pandemic research responses. Of 12,652 records, 191 were included. Our review identified many persisting challenges, particularly the lack of international research co-ordination, pre-planned research strategies, and limited research infrastructure in resource deprived settings. While some solutions were implemented, many remain recommendations e.g. pre-prepared regulatory guidelines and protocols, research infrastructure investment and international research coordination. Our data shows an urgent need to address challenges identified, implement and evaluate recommended solutions, to strengthen global health security to new and (re-) emerging epidemics and pandemics.
format Article
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institution Kabale University
issn 2589-5370
language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher Elsevier
record_format Article
series EClinicalMedicine
spelling doaj-art-4dc288735a4340e0a2d2c62199e7eb192025-08-20T03:27:05ZengElsevierEClinicalMedicine2589-53702025-07-018510329410.1016/j.eclinm.2025.103294PEARLES challenges and solutions to the implementation of clinical research responses to epidemics and pandemics: a scoping reviewBranagh Crealock-Ashurst0Shanthi Levanita1Sandrena Ruth Frischer2Sophia Adhikari3Winnie Mwebia4Zaharat Kadri-Alabi5Laura Davidson6Lisha Jeena7Megan Evans8Gabriella Morley9Eli Harriss10Gail Carson11Alice Norton12Louise Sigfrid13GloPID-R Research and Policy Team, Policy and Practice Research Group, Pandemic Sciences Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UKGloPID-R Research and Policy Team, Policy and Practice Research Group, Pandemic Sciences Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UKGloPID-R Research and Policy Team, Policy and Practice Research Group, Pandemic Sciences Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UKGloPID-R Research and Policy Team, Policy and Practice Research Group, Pandemic Sciences Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UKGloPID-R Research and Policy Team, Policy and Practice Research Group, Pandemic Sciences Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UKGloPID-R Research and Policy Team, Policy and Practice Research Group, Pandemic Sciences Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UKGloPID-R Research and Policy Team, Policy and Practice Research Group, Pandemic Sciences Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UKGloPID-R Research and Policy Team, Policy and Practice Research Group, Pandemic Sciences Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UKHealth Education England East Midlands, UKNational Health Service (NHS), UKBodleian Health Care Libraries, University of Oxford, Oxford, UKGloPID-R Research and Policy Team, Policy and Practice Research Group, Pandemic Sciences Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UKGloPID-R Research and Policy Team, Policy and Practice Research Group, Pandemic Sciences Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UKGloPID-R Research and Policy Team, Policy and Practice Research Group, Pandemic Sciences Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Corresponding author.Summary: Conducting clinical research in response to infectious disease outbreaks presents unique challenges. In a previous review, we identified a range of political, economic, administrative, regulatory, logistical, ethical and social (PEARLES) challenges and proposed solutions to effective implementation of outbreak research responses. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, we conducted an update to explore if solutions recommended had been implemented, or new challenges identified. We searched seven databases (Ovid MEDLINE, Global Health, Embase, and PsycINFO, Scopus, Epistemonikos, Google Scholar) and grey literature from 01/06/2018 to 28/09/2023 for studies presenting PEARLES challenges/solutions to epi/pandemic research responses. Of 12,652 records, 191 were included. Our review identified many persisting challenges, particularly the lack of international research co-ordination, pre-planned research strategies, and limited research infrastructure in resource deprived settings. While some solutions were implemented, many remain recommendations e.g. pre-prepared regulatory guidelines and protocols, research infrastructure investment and international research coordination. Our data shows an urgent need to address challenges identified, implement and evaluate recommended solutions, to strengthen global health security to new and (re-) emerging epidemics and pandemics.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589537025002263PEARLESResearch responseChallengesSolutionsEpidemicsPandemics
spellingShingle Branagh Crealock-Ashurst
Shanthi Levanita
Sandrena Ruth Frischer
Sophia Adhikari
Winnie Mwebia
Zaharat Kadri-Alabi
Laura Davidson
Lisha Jeena
Megan Evans
Gabriella Morley
Eli Harriss
Gail Carson
Alice Norton
Louise Sigfrid
PEARLES challenges and solutions to the implementation of clinical research responses to epidemics and pandemics: a scoping review
EClinicalMedicine
PEARLES
Research response
Challenges
Solutions
Epidemics
Pandemics
title PEARLES challenges and solutions to the implementation of clinical research responses to epidemics and pandemics: a scoping review
title_full PEARLES challenges and solutions to the implementation of clinical research responses to epidemics and pandemics: a scoping review
title_fullStr PEARLES challenges and solutions to the implementation of clinical research responses to epidemics and pandemics: a scoping review
title_full_unstemmed PEARLES challenges and solutions to the implementation of clinical research responses to epidemics and pandemics: a scoping review
title_short PEARLES challenges and solutions to the implementation of clinical research responses to epidemics and pandemics: a scoping review
title_sort pearles challenges and solutions to the implementation of clinical research responses to epidemics and pandemics a scoping review
topic PEARLES
Research response
Challenges
Solutions
Epidemics
Pandemics
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589537025002263
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