Table 1 Examples of the use of research evidence in policymaking

Magnesium sulphate for the treatment of eclampsia and pre-eclampsia – an example of inadequate health system arrangements to support an inexpensive and effective intervention

There is high-quality evidence showing that magnesium sulphate, a low-cost drug, is effective for the treatment of eclampsia and pre-eclampsia [31, 32]. However, the drug, like many other effective treatments in low- and middle-income countries, is still not yet widely available [12, 33]. Failures in the registration, procurement, and distribution mechanisms for magnesium sulphate have contributed to its poor availability in countries such as Mozambique and Zimbabwe [12]. In other countries, problems include a lack of guidelines mandating the use of magnesium sulphate, the failure to include it on lists of essential drugs, a failure to implement existing guidelines, and restrictions on which facilities and health workers are authorised to administer it [33]. Although eclampsia and severe pre-eclampsia affect few women relative to the number of people affected by other healthcare problems, approximately 63,000 women worldwide die from these conditions every year. These conditions are also associated with neonatal deaths.

See Additional File 2 for further examples.