London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine

Better Trials. Better Evidence. Better Health.

Join us on Tuesday 27 October 2026 in Harare, Zimbabwe, and online for the 4th LSHTM Trials Day. Bringing together researchers, clinicians, trialists and research professionals from across the global health community, this hybrid event provides a platform to exchange ideas, share experiences and explore innovations in the design, conduct and delivery of clinical trials. Through keynote presentations, scientific talks, panel discussions and poster sessions, participants will share lessons learned, foster new collaborations and contribute to strengthening clinical trials that generate high-quality evidence for better health outcomes.

Please note the time zone of this event is Central Africa Time (CAT). The event takes place from 08:30 to 17:00 CAT.

Programme and speaker details

Full programme is now available to download.

08:30-09:00 Registration

Ellen Chiyindiko

09:00-09:15 Welcome

Trials Network Steering Committee & BRTI / THRU-Zim representative (Jacqueline Kabongo)

09:15-10:15 Outcome measurements in complex interventions

• Claire Calderwood, Imperial College London / BRTI
• Sarah Bernays, University of Sydney
• Sam Gnanapragasam, King's College London / BRTI

Moderator: Katharina Kranzer, LSHTM

10:15-11:15 Coffee and e-posters – operations and methodology

• Cyprian Tinashe Masvikeni: “When You Can't Randomise: Lessons from Emulating a Neonatal Trial Using Routine Clinical Data in Zimbabwe”
• Sazinkosi Manguni: “Beyond the protocol: Medical device reliability and outcome measurement in randomised trials in Africa”
• Onismo Mufare: “Health System Situational Analysis to Inform Site Selection for a Cluster-Randomised Trial in Zimbabwe (RESTORE)”
• Namono Janet Rhina: “Digitising Clinical Trial Pharmacy Operations: Operational Lessons from Medicine Accountability”
• Joseph Okoeguale, Reuben Eifediyi, Sylvanus Okogbenin: “End-to-End Investigational Medicinal Product Logistics for the INTEGRATE Lassa Fever Therapeutics Platform Trial in Nigeria: Operational Experience, Challenges, and Lessons Learned”
• Nyasha Dzavakwa: “Beyond efficacy: Unpacking mechanisms of impact in a randomised controlled trial of adherence among young people”
• Dyson Likomwa & Marcella Vigneri: “Designing for Rigor Amid Disruption: Methodological Lessons from a Climate-Resilient Health Baseline in Southern Malawi-Save the Children”
• Leonard Naphazi Kambewa: “Designed Elsewhere, Deployed Here: An Implementation Science Case for Community Co-Design in African Clinical Trials”

Moderator: Joyce Nakitende, LSHTM

11:15-12:15 Abstract presentations 

4 x 10-minute presentations, with Q&A

• Constance Mackworth-Young: “The contribution of Anthropology to randomised trials: Lessons from three trials in Zimbabwe”
• Francis Kasujja: “Combining Superiority and Non-inferiority Hypotheses in a Pragmatic Trial”
• James Hargreaves: “A way of thinking about cluster and individual level causal estimands in real-world trials of complex public health interventions”
• Luanna Fernandes and Yashi Gandhi: “Using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to Define Trial Clusters Based on Healthcare Utilisation Patterns: Lessons from the IMPRESS trial”

Moderator: Eugene Ruzagira

12:15-13:15 Lunch

 

13:15-14:15 Keynotes

• Armel Zemsi, MRC Unit The Gambia at LSHTM: Region preparedness for outbreak evidence generation
• Nyasha Dzavakwa, BRTI: Lessons learned from the Vitality trial
• Eugene Ruzagira, MRC/UVRI & LSHTM Uganda Research Unit: Experiences of preparing for an Ebola vaccine trial

14:15-15:15 Abstract presentations 

4 x 10-minute presentations, with Q&A

• Victoria B Tumusiime: “Streamlining regulatory in Multisite clinical Trials through coordinated ethics and regulatory submissions. Lessons learned from the IMPALA Trial”
• Owolabi James Oluwadamilare: “Before the swab: Co-Designing Strep A CHIS Acceptability
  with The Bakau Community”
• Siphosami Musikavanhu: “Beyond Dispensing: Operational Lessons from Pharmacy-Led Implementation of Decentralized Clinical Trials in Zimbabwe”
• Efe Petra Edeawe: “From isolation ward to trial-ready site: operational lessons in preparing for a randomised Lassa fever vaccine trial in Nigeria“

Moderator: Jacqueline Kabongo

15:15-16:00 Coffee and e-posters – ethics and engagement

• Amber Raja: “Navigating the ethical and operational realities of conducting a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled chemoprevention trial among plantation workers in Sabah, Malaysia”
• Linnet Zvoushe: “Beyond disinformation to engaging with unstable information: Implications for trust in clinical trials”
• Mary Nyantaro: “Navigating Consent at the Margins: Power, Literacy, and Inclusion in Paediatric Research in Uganda”
• Ekaete Tobin, Ola Egbuta, Stephen Ojiefo: “Strengthening Lassa Fever Surveillance During an Outbreak Through a Clinical Trial–Public Health Emergency Operations Centre Partnership in Edo State, Nigeria”

Osahogie Isaac Edeawe: “Minimally Invasive Tissue Sampling in Lassa Fever outbreaks: Ethical and Cultural challenges of Obtaining consent in ISTH Irrua Edo state 2025-2026”

• Dorothy Ainembabazi: “Common Ethics and Regulatory Committee Responses to Clinical Trial Applications in Uganda: Lessons Learned and Recommendations from Five Joint Reviews”
• Bernadette Nayiga: “Disseminating Negative HIV Vaccine Trial Results: Lessons from the PrEPVacc trial”
• Osahogie Isaac Edeawe: “Communication Gaps in Multi-Centre Clinical Trials in Nigeria: Operational Challenges and Lessons from Managing Diverse Stakeholders”

Moderator: Armel Zemsi

16:00-16:55 Panel discussion: Ethical issues in conceptualising and designing trials

Ethical issues in conceptualising and designing trials

• Equipoise in trials
• Post trial access
• Trials of complex interventions

Panel:

• Charles Weijer, Western University
• Paul Ndebele, George Washington University
• Sarah Bernays, University of Sydney

Moderator: Rashida Ferrand

16:55-17:00 Closing remarks

Trials Day organising team

Event notices

• Please note that you can join this event in person or you can join the session remotely
• Please note that the recording link will be listed on this page when available