The ATM Clinical Trials Registry is a disease-specific, regional register of HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria trials conducted in Africa. The registry is an African initiative serving the needs of Africans. It provides a platform where clinical trials can be registered prospectively. In addition, it also provides a searchable, electronic database of planned trials and trials currently in progress, in the region most affected by the three diseases.

The ATM Clinical Trials Registry is unique in recognising that African trialists face additional challenges in trial registration and seeks to provide feasible ways of overcoming these. For example, a common problem for individuals living in sub-Saharan Africa is limited, unreliable and costly internet access. With this in mind, the registry provides alternative means of trial registration for registrants who do not have reliable access to the internet. Trials may be registered manually by email, postal mail or facsimile correspondence and trial registration is free.

Partners
The ATM Clinical Trials Registry is funded by the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP) and the primary partners are:

1. The South African Cochrane Centre (SACC), based at the South African Medical Research Council
2. The Cochrane Infectious Diseases Group (CIDG), based at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine.

The partners are working in close collaboration with the Cochrane HIV/AIDS Group (based at the University of San Francisco and the SACC), and the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Stakeholders
The ATM Clinical Trials Registry serves a number of key stakeholders including researchers, clinical trial funders and sponsors, development organisations, policy makers, health professionals and the general public.

Policy makers: Meet the needs of the people

• Keep track of all clinical trial activity in your country and/or region
• Monitor the effect of clinical trial activity in serving the health needs of the population, as the registry provides you with up-to-date information on the nature and location of clinical trials being conducted.

Health professionals: Keep your finger on the pulse 

• Stay up-to-date and informed of the latest scientific research being conducted and interventions being tested
• Advise patients about appropriate trials to participate in, based on “in progress” trial information in the registry.

Clinical trial funders and sponsors: Direct funding to the areas most in need

• Disseminate your funds appropriately and effectively by making use of the information contained in the registry on what research is being conducted, where the research is being conducted and by whom.

Development organisations and agencies: Get a clear view of the clinical trial landscape in the region

• Development and enhance clinical trial activity and capabilities in Africa, based on the information contained in the registry database.

Researchers: Is your research cutting edge and novel?

• Search the registry database to identify “gaps” in the research and direct your research objectives and activities accordingly.
• Identify collaborators with similar research interests and needs
• Share your ideas, issues, challenges and solutions with fellow researchers

The general public: Knowledge is power

• Find out about clinical trials being conducted in your area/region to determine if you are interested and/or eligible to participate in a trial.
• The ATM Clinical Trials Registry endeavours to ensure that the results of all registered trial are made public. This is the first step towards ensuring that future participants and generations will benefit from your participation in a clinical trial.

How to register a trial
The ATM Clinical Trials Registry was launched on the 22nd May 2007 and is open for trial registration. Currently, trials may be registered via email, facsimile or postal mail. Please contact Liesl Grobler (liesl.grobler(at)mrc.ac.za) to register your trial. If you know of trialists wishing to register their trials who may not have access to the internet, please do print and pass this information on to them. Once the ATM Clinical Trials Registry is web-activated (October 2007), trials may be registered online via the ATM Clinical Trials Registry portal (www.atmregistry.org).

Contact information
Liesl Grobler
South African Cochrane Centre (SACC)
P.O. Box 19070
Tygerberg
7505
Tel: +27 21 938 0506
Fax: +27 21 938 0836
Email: liesl.grobler(at)mrc.ac.za
Website: http://www.atmregistry.org