Experiences of Health Research Systems the International Level: Lessons and Policy Implications for Iran’s Health Research Systems

Abstract

Developing and strengthening health research systems at the national and regional levels have been widely endorsed by national governments and international health organizations. This study aimed to conduct a systematic review to investigate international experiences with health research systems. For this systematic review, three databases—Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed—were searched, along with two search engines, Google Scholar and Google, and relevant grey literature. Hand-searching and forward/backward citation tracking were also conducted. The literature search spanned from 2000, when the World Health Organization introduced the concept of creating and strengthening health research systems in the Bangkok Declaration, to June 2024. No geographic limitations were applied, and all document types were considered. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses framework was employed to select studies for inclusion in the review. The analysis of eligible studies identified 11 key areas of focus for health research systems at both the national and regional levels: research capacity-building; budget and funding mechanisms; identification of research priorities; evaluation and monitoring mechanisms; research infrastructure; research translation, industry collaboration, and innovation; research ethics and intellectual property protection; research data governance; quality improvement and internationalization of research; strengthening health systems; responding to potential health crises; and preventing brain drain. Health research systems have a significant impact on decision-making processes within health systems. This study presents various countries’ experiences in health research systems. Given the many challenges faced by Iran’s health research sector, applying global evidence in the field of health research systems provides a robust scientific foundation for decision-making by health policymakers.