{"id":5231,"date":"2026-06-23T12:57:39","date_gmt":"2026-06-23T10:57:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ucrc-mali.com\/?p=5231"},"modified":"2026-06-23T12:57:41","modified_gmt":"2026-06-23T10:57:41","slug":"biomedical-research-in-mali-the-ethical-challenge-of-popularizing-science","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ucrc-mali.com\/?p=5231","title":{"rendered":"Biomedical Research in Mali: The ethical challenge of popularizing science"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Biomedical Research in Mali: The Ethical Challenge of Popularizing Science<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The National Ethics Committee for Health and Life Sciences (CNESS) of Mali held a crucial plenary session at its premises. Organized as part of its first-semester operational plan and funded by the state budget, this workshop brought together all its members around a major issue: the future of public health communication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On this occasion, the communication unit of the University Clinical Research Center (UCRC) presented a presentation entitled: “Popularization of Biomedical Research by Media and Communication Institutions in Mali; Challenges and Perspectives,” placing a particular emphasis on the ethics of communication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Global Center of Excellence Facing a Wall of Silence<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For over three decades, Mali has established itself as an essential hub of excellence in global scientific research. This prestigious status stems from a historic partnership initiated in 1992 with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) of the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This cooperation is embodied by ICER-Mali, a cutting-edge institution hosted by the University of Sciences, Techniques, and Technologies of Bamako (USTTB). Grouping together centers with international standards (UCRC, PMRTC, IDMRTC, CREFPAM), ICER-Mali employs over 900 Malian professionals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yet, despite world-class production\u2014more than 450 articles published in 2021 alone in prestigious journals such as The Lancet<\/em> or Nature<\/em>\u2014these results remain confined to academia. This breakdown in transmission is explained by a notorious lack of professional communication, a media landscape unsuited to scientific stakes, and complex linguistic and cultural barriers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Alarming Diagnosis of Local Media<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The assessment made during the session is clear. Ibrahima Dia, Head of Communication at the UCRC<\/strong>, shared edifying figures: “The public is almost completely unaware of the existence of these centers of excellence. Out of 100 people interviewed on the streets of Bamako, fewer than 5 are able to name the UCRC or ICER-Mali.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This information gap creates a dangerous divide between researchers and the population. Local media, often seeking sensationalism or lacking specialized training, ignore major breakthroughs that nevertheless save lives daily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Major Challenges of Popularization in Mali<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The processing of scientific information faces three structural obstacles:<\/p>\n\n\n\n