Introduction: Community Advisory Committees (CAC) have become indicators of good community involvement in health research all over the world. CACs have been developed only recently in several Sub-Saharan African countries. Many countries wonder about how to create and ensure good functioning of a community advisory committee. The objective of this article is to describe the creation of two CACs in Burkina Faso.
Methods: This qualitative study comprised a literature review phase, a data collection phase conducted on a sample of 27 subjects (research scientists, representatives of AIDS associations or networks and the local technical and/or financial partners of these associations) and an implementation phase. Study participants were selected on a rational basis, the study complied with the ethical principles of research and data were transcribed and analysed manually.
Results: Scientists and/or community workers may initiate the creation of a CAC based on the following main elements: the profile of individuals and/or structures, the dynamism of CAC members, reinforcement of their skills and capacities. The CAC must be independent of research scientists and must be designed to be sustainable.
Discussion: The difficulties of sustainability and the poor perception of CACs remain major challenges. Continuing collaboration between CAC members and research scientists improves their knowledge in the field of research ethics, allowing the community to perceive CACs as supporters of research.