Opportunities and Challenges for Clinical and Cardiovascular Research in Latin America Honorio Silva, 1 * Elif Sungar, 2 Sandra J. Kleinstiver, 3 and Robert H. Rubin 4 Latin America in the past two decades has increasingly become a significant contributor of clinical research. The future capacity of clinical and specifically cardiovascular research has the potential to positively affect human health in the region and foster economic growth. However, the challenges of conducting clinical research in Latin America include a need for logistical support from local governments, continued commitment to education of physicians and ethics committees, and creation of oversight bodies to guarantee the highest quality of research. Bibliometric analyses were conducted to assess trends in clinical research. Latin American investigators demonstrated a tendency to publish clinical results in local and regional journals. The region offers many opportunities for clinical research including large treatment-naive patient populations and most importantly motivated investigators capable of producing high-quality results. Strategies to foster clinical research in Latin America must be based on development of a positive regulatory environment, leveraged protection of intellectual property, creation of alliances between private and public sectors with incentives for investment in science and technology, and finally focus on areas of clinical expertise such as cardiovascular disease, epidemiology, gastroenterology, and infectious diseases. Fostering the creation of research alliances across and between continents will help in establishing the supportive environment for dissemination of important ethical clinical research in the region. Keywords: Latin America, clinical trials, cardiovascular disease, bibliometrics INTRODUCTION Latin America in the past two decades has increasingly become a significant contributor to clinical research. A resurgence of interest in clinical research in the developing world has been nurtured and sustained by the international harmonization effort and, in turn, has contributed to improved quantity and quality of clinical research. Additionally, advances in drug dis- covery such as molecular biology, combinatorial chemistry, and high throughput screening have played a role in the marked increase in new molecules and the resultant need for subjects to assess new medical treatments that can be satisfied by the large treat- ment-naive Latin American population. These factors as well as the commitment of newly trained clinical researchers to improved patient care contribute to the opportunities for the subcontinent. However, the challenges of conducting clinical research in the region include a need for logistical support from local governments, continued commitment to edu- cation of physicians and ethics committees, and creation of national or regional oversight bodies to guarantee the highest quality of research. A partner- ship between government, regulatory authorities, academia, and sponsors is essential to leverage the strength of clinical research in Latin America. The future capacity of clinical and specifically cardiovas- cular research has the potential to have a positive impact on human health in the region and foster economic growth. American Journal of Therapeutics 13, 309–314 (2006) 1075-2765 r 2006 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins 1 Pfizer Inc. Science and Technology Group, New York, New York; 2 New York, New York; 3 Katalyst Health Technology Assessments, London, Ontario, Canada; 4 Center for Experimental Pharmaco- logy and Therapeutics, Harvard–MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology, Boston, Massachusetts. This research was made possible through funding from Pfizer Inc. *Address for correspondence: Pfizer Inc. Science and Technology Group, 235 East 42nd Street, 13/23, New York, NY. E-mail: silvah@pfizer.com