ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on health research governance arrangements in Kenya. Health research has a long history in Kenya. The British colonial government engaged in health research and established the Veterinary Research Laboratories in 1908 and the Medical Research Laboratory in 1958. There are various legal instruments that govern health research in Kenya, starting with the Constitution of the Republic of Kenya. The Kenyan Constitution provides for key fundamental rights that have implications for research participants and the research process. The Constitution provides for the right to health, which could be broadly interpreted to include a right to the benefits of health research. The Health Act includes provisions that draw the linkages between the regulatory regime for research under the Science and Technology Act, and the guidance of National Commission for Science, Technology and Innovation (NACOSTI). For health research, two ministries stand out: the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MOEST) and the Ministry of Health.
