On 17 November, was launched the first session of the sub-group on Strategic support for the strengthening of national systems and regional networks of scientific research on drugs, led by Mexico and Jamaica,. The objective of this line of work is to promote the development and articulation, from the Drug Observatories, of the different aspects that make up the national systems of scientific research on drugs: strategic agendas, networks of researchers and research centres and the consolidation of funds for their operation.
Mapping priorities
The objective of the first session of the sub-group is to map national priorities for scientific research (with a focus on rights and gender) and for the development of National Drug Research Agendas. During the session, the problem of the tensions and/or absence of links between the National Drug Observatories (NDO) and academia and research centres and the need to move forward with the programmed activities (mapping of resources and design of a national agenda) will be presented, with the intervention of researchers such as Colette Cunningham-Myrie (University of the West Indies, Mona, Jamaica), Marcelo Rossal (University of the Republic, Uruguay) and Marcelo Rossal (from the University of the Republic of Uruguay).
Over the next two years, COPOLAD III will support the development of a conceptual and methodological guide to support and guide NDOs in mapping the human, institutional and financial resources allocated to drug research and to provide basic guidelines for the creation of a national and regional network of researchers and/or drug research centres. This guide will serve as a guideline to assist those countries that require it in the creation and implementation of scientific advisory committees for NDOs, networks of researchers and research centres, national drug research funds and national drug research agendas.
