Table 1.

Essential commitments needed at the national and institutional level to enhance research capacity in biomedical sciences in Honduras

At the country-level	• Allocate at least 2% of the GDP.
	• Create a National Health Research System and a National Health Research Policy.
	• Create national standards for research ethics with human or animal participants (*).
	• Establish capacity for clinical trials (*).
	• Create national standards for biosafety and biosecurity (*).
	• Create fluid administrative mechanisms to fund scientific research.
	• Bring together governmental and academic units dedicated to infectious disease research to share knowledge and resources and develop collaborations. (*).
	• Promote long-term international cooperation programs (bilateral or multilateral).
	• Seek guidance from the international cooperation, and international organizations such as PAHO’s Advisory Committee on Health Research (ACHR), the Council on Health Research for Development (COHRED), among others.
	• Encourage research beyond national priorities of the moment.
At the institutional level	• Create (or revitalize) and provide stable funding to scientific research administrative units.
	• Establish incentives for scientific research and publications.
	• Promote and support training of young researchers within and outside the country.
	• Create tenure-stream academic positions with significant dedication to research.
	• Create PhD programs at either institutional or regional level (as appropriate or feasible), or both.
	• Offer continuing education opportunities in biostatistics, molecular biology, biosafety, and scientific writing (*).
	• Strengthen South-South collaborations.
	• Promote alliances between government, academia, and industry (*).
	• Link institutions in the higher education system to share knowledge and resources and develop collaborations (*).