Grand challenges in global health: engaging civil society organizations in biomedical research in developing countries

While several publications have addressed the role of civil society organisations (CSOs) in social science research in health, their role in biomedical research has not been widely discussed. This paper, published by Public Library of Science Medicine, delineates different types of CSOs, their role in biomedical research, and the advantages and challenges of working with them.

The authors argue CSOs are common in the developing world. These can be divided into five types, namely: non-governmental organisations, community-based organisations, faith-based organisations, voluntary health organisations, and networks. The authors argue that engaging with CSOs has several benefits for researchers, especially in approaching and working with communities, and for post-research adoption of innovative findings and products.

Additionally, the authors note that CSOs can disrupt scientific endeavors and arguably jeopardise science if they feel the scientific premise is not valid or harmful to the communities they serve. Despite the challenges, they conclude that it is in the best interests of science and researchers working in the developing world to identify and engage with CSOs. The authors stress that there is a need for empirical research on best practice models of CSO–researcher engagements and for evaluation of these models.