As regenerative medicine (RM) transitions into a critical translational phase, there remains limited understanding of its global research and development landscape, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This chapter examines how the under-documentation of RM activity in LMICs perpetuates epistemic injustice, i.e., systematic exclusion from knowledge production and recognition. Through a detailed analysis of clinical trial activity and regulatory frameworks across Africa and Asia, the chapter reveals that LMICs are not passive recipients but active, though often unrecognized, contributors to global RM innovation. It highlights how challenges with funding, infrastructure, and regulatory capacity obscure LMIC achievements and hinder equitable participation in the knowledge economy. Drawing on mapping studies, the chapter identifies both the existence of robust, locally adapted RM innovation in several LMICs and the regulatory and infrastructural gaps that challenge commercialization and global recognition. The chapter aims to show that these disparities are not only technical but deeply epistemic, reinforcing broader inequalities in health and scientific development. It calls for an expanded commitment to epistemic justice and global health equity, urging reforms in governance, funding, and institutional partnerships that better include LMIC perspectives. Ultimately, it proposes that recognizing and integrating LMIC contributions is essential for a more inclusive and effective global RM ecosystem, and for ensuring that the benefits of RM are accessible to diverse populations worldwide.

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Toward Epistemic Justice: Regenerative Medicine Activity and Governance in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

  • Ubaka Ogbogu,
  • Lauren Albrecht

摘要

As regenerative medicine (RM) transitions into a critical translational phase, there remains limited understanding of its global research and development landscape, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This chapter examines how the under-documentation of RM activity in LMICs perpetuates epistemic injustice, i.e., systematic exclusion from knowledge production and recognition. Through a detailed analysis of clinical trial activity and regulatory frameworks across Africa and Asia, the chapter reveals that LMICs are not passive recipients but active, though often unrecognized, contributors to global RM innovation. It highlights how challenges with funding, infrastructure, and regulatory capacity obscure LMIC achievements and hinder equitable participation in the knowledge economy. Drawing on mapping studies, the chapter identifies both the existence of robust, locally adapted RM innovation in several LMICs and the regulatory and infrastructural gaps that challenge commercialization and global recognition. The chapter aims to show that these disparities are not only technical but deeply epistemic, reinforcing broader inequalities in health and scientific development. It calls for an expanded commitment to epistemic justice and global health equity, urging reforms in governance, funding, and institutional partnerships that better include LMIC perspectives. Ultimately, it proposes that recognizing and integrating LMIC contributions is essential for a more inclusive and effective global RM ecosystem, and for ensuring that the benefits of RM are accessible to diverse populations worldwide.