First Indo-US Clinical Trial Outsourcing organisation launched

Bangalore, Jan 26 (UNI) Bangalore Health Care Development Private Limited, in association with New Jersey based Sephmer Sciences, the world's first Clinical investigator development organistion, today launched Indo-US Investigator Development Organisation (IDO) to streamline and integrate clinical trials.

Speaking after the launch, Sephmer Sciences President and Chief Executive Officer Lisa Marie Castro said the new organisation would function as a consulting and training company providing clinical research support, planning and consultancy support to physicians, hospitals, pharmaceutical and bio-technology companies.

''The effort would enable India to tap 11 billion dollar outsourcing business in clinical trials to emerge as the global clinical trial hub'', she added.

Ms Lisa said that this sector would be close to 11 billion dollars by the year 2010, to be able to ride this wave there is an immediate need for rising upto meet good clinical practice and international standards in clinical trials.

Sephmer Sciences Senior President (Corporate Affairs) Mark R Smith said that India, with in a span of 57 years has grown three times faster than the United States. ''We hope to be good partners in medical field'', he added.

He called for shifting from tactics outsourcing to strategic outsourcing. Through this tie-up an attempt has been made to prepare India to achieve its goal by 2010 since the country possess all requirements needed for outsourcing.''Preparing necessary infrastructure for clinical trials is needed. In India there is fast track change to standardise and we want to be a partner in framing needed policies to encash the opportunity.'' A two-day seminar on 'Clinical Trials and India: Ethics, International Standards, and Hospitals' was organised to mark the launch.

UNI