Clinical research and trials in developing countries.

Over 80 per cent of the global disease burden occurs in developing countries. Yet the proportion of research conducted in these countries is less than 10 per cent of the global research activity. This article emphasizes the need to conduct research in developing countries on locally relevant questions, provides general principles that may assist in establishing such studies, and describes some experiences in the cardiovascular area. Copyright 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.