Research Sites

CHRU has four Clinical Research Sites (CRS) in South Africa where it undertakes clinical trials. These are at:

• The Helen Joseph Hospital, Westdene, Johannesburg, Gauteng province
• The Sizwe Tropical Disease Hospital, Sandringham, Johannesburg, Gauteng province
• The King DinuZulu Hospital, Sydenham, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal province and
• The Empilweni TB Hospital, Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape province.

CHRU’s sites have all demonstrated an outstanding ability to recruit study populations.

This is one of four academic hospitals of the University of the Witwatersrand. CHRU’s CRS here is located adjacent to the hospital and allows access to the hospital facilities for X-rays, CT scans, scopes, biopsies and in-patient wards. The hospital houses the Themba Lethu Clinic (TLC) which facilitates one of the largest patient population on ARV treatment in South Africa.

This research clinic also offers specialised management for complicated TB cases, as required by the research protocols. These include:

• A dedicated Multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) section that is cordoned off from the rest of the clinic and has an advanced air filtration system to control air flow as part of the rigorous infection control mechanisms in place at CHRU’s sites.
• A spirometry room for specialised lung function
• An area dedicated to specialised hearing tests to test for any adverse effects on hearing due to drug toxicity.

This is our first site set up to implement CHRU’s research agenda around Drug Resistant TB (DR TB). It is the referral site for all complicated DR TB cases including paediatric cases and Extensively Drug resistant TB (XDR TB).

We have also assumed clinical and management oversight of a DR TB site in Durban.  This site is in the epicentre of the DR TB epidemic in South Africa. It is one of the highest enrolling sites for a number of trials.

The Eastern Cape CRS was recently opened as a new research division at the Empilweni TB Hospital in Port Elizabeth. It is called the IsangoLethemba TB Research Unit managed and supervised by CHRU. The participant community is located in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality.

The core research work here is the treatment of tuberculosis with a particular focus on Drug Resistant TB (DR TB).

The goals of the drug trials are to:

• Deliver more effective, tolerable and safe ways of treating patients with DR-TB
• Shorten time on treatment and
• Develop new strategies in tackling this disease.

The site will also strengthen the TB research capacity in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province.

This CRS is associated with both the Empilweni TB Hospital and Jose Pearson TB Hospital.

It is only focused on clinical trials and does not provide other healthcare services.

CHRU’s research activities around TB are integrated with South Africa’s National TB Program (NTP).