India steps up efforts to streamline research

The country's DBT (Department of Biotechnology) recently announced plans to establish several new clinical research training centres throughout the region in order to help achieve this.

With initial funding of $1m (€780,000), the new centres will be used to conduct research and train clinical researchers, as well as set up ethics committees, sort out issues involving customs and other matters.

Some of the new centres will be operational by early 2007.

The government has also decided to set up an Institute for Translational Research in New Delhi to attract new clinical research activity into the country.

The decisions are part of a drive by India to cement itself as the new hub of global clinical research.

India is already holding the lion's share of the world's contract research business as activity in the pharma market continues to explode in this region.

In 2005 contract research in India was valued at $100-120m and growing at a rate of 20-25 per cent each year, according to a report by the Chemical Pharmaceutical Generic Association.

However, several factors, such as a lack of adequately trained clinical research professionals is still holding the relatively young industry back.

It is hoped the new initiatives will go some way towards resolving this.

Meanwhile, the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has also just simplified the process for gaining regulatory approval for global clinical trials.

The new changes are aimed at stamping out a lot of the regulatory delays faced when international firms conduct clinical research in India, and will further serve to drive this burgeoning industry forward faster.