The World Health Organization (WHO) has released the Global Action Plan for Clinical Trial Ecosystem Strengthening (GAP-CTS) a key implementation tool aligned with World Health Assembly resolution WHA75.8 (2022), which aims to reinforce and modernize clinical trial systems worldwide.
The plan sets out nine priority actions to help countries and stakeholders build clinical trial ecosystems that are sustainable, inclusive, locally driven, and fit for purpose. It is grounded in WHO’s 2024 Guidance for Best Practices for Clinical Trials and addresses ongoing disparities in trial activity and access particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
GAP-CTS calls for systemic improvements in trial funding, design, coordination, and ethical oversight, ensuring that research is both high quality and equitably distributed.
To drive adoption and implementation, WHO will engage global partners through the Global Clinical Trials Forum (GCTF) a WHO-led network that promotes peer learning, collaboration, and the exchange of best practices in clinical research.
The organization is urging all stakeholders Member States, funders, regulators, sponsors, patient advocacy groups, community organizations, and research institutions—to align their activities with GAP-CTS. Stakeholders are also encouraged to contribute data for progress monitoring and support collaborative efforts for reform.
Designed for broad use, the GAP-CTS provides practical guidance for those involved in prioritizing research funding, overseeing ethics, involving communities, regulating trials, and delivering clinical research.
The ultimate goal is to build resilient, high-performing ecosystems that support ethical, inclusive, and high-quality clinical trials globally.
