What implications did the lack of inclusion of clean needles in the prevention package have on trial results?
It created distrust from stakeholders and advocates in the trial outcomes. “The lack of resolution left a rift between civil society and research entities, with uncertainty about stakeholder support for future steps with PrEP research and potential rollout in Thailand”. Future trials might be affected by this distrust between stakeholders and researchers.
How can researchers engage stakeholders to better negotiate comprehensive prevention packages tailored to the needs of diverse subgroups?
The research team should engage with stakeholders from the beginning of the trial and share goals and objectives. When the research team was facing difficulties, due to changes by the government in the provision of clean needles, the team should have communicated this to stakeholders and ask for advise on how to deal with these difficulties. Continuous consultation and communication is critical for the continuation of the trial and rollout. Stakeholders’ opinions should have been included when disseminating results, to create trust from stakeholders for cooperation in future trials and follow-on studies.
Kind regards,
Ndlovu Research Centre team
