Cardio-oncology & otherMeta-analysis
African Representation in Randomized Controlled Trials Published in Leading Medical and Cardiovascular Journals, 2019-2024
- Systematic review
Authors' conclusion
African countries are profoundly underrepresented in RCTs published in the world's most influential medical and CV journals.
Study context
- Population
- Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published 2019–2024 in 5 leading general medical and 3 leading cardiovascular (CV) journals
- Participants
- 2,138 vs 334
- Comparison
- General medical journals vs CV journals
- General medical journalsn = 2,138
- CV journalsn = 334
- Outcome
- African representation (Africa-only vs multicontinental trials with ≥1 African site)
Pooled result
As reported in the abstract
African representation in RCTs
| Group | Africa-only | Multicontinental with ≥1 African site | Multicontinental with African sites |
|---|---|---|---|
| General medical journals | 83 (3.9%) | 195 (9.1%) | |
| CV journals | 2 (0.6%) | 9 (2.7%) |
Further pooled results
Country and regional participation
- South Africa accounted for the majority of Africa-based RCTs in both journal categories
- Southern Africa predominated; central Africa minimally represented
Disease category, Africa-only trials in general medical journals
- Infectious diseases
- n = 63; 75.9%
- Cardiovascular disease (CVD)
- 3
- Africa-including multicontinental trials more frequently investigated noncommunicable diseases, including CVD
African authorship
- African leadership common in Africa-only trials but rare in multicontinental studies
Original publication
African Representation in Randomized Controlled Trials Published in Leading Medical and Cardiovascular Journals, 2019-2024. J Am Coll Cardiol. Published 20 March 2026. doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2026.02.5097
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it