A randomised trial is the best way to make causal inferences when evaluating the effectiveness and safety of health interventions in global health research. Trials, however, are inherently expensive, unfeasible in many scenarios, and may raise ethical issues. In these scenarios, we must turn to analyses of observational data to learn what works. The target trial framework provides an organising principle for the design of observational studies that can lead to clinically interpretable results and analytic approaches that can reduce common biases. In this analysis, we describe the global distribution of data sources used in applications of the target trial framework and discuss barriers to its increased use in global health research, such as limited access to high-quality observational data. We then suggest a cost-effective solution of incorporating the collection of additional high-quali...