Indian Clinical Research to be USD 1 bn industry by 2010, DCGI Singh

Mumbai, Oct 11 (UNI) India may be at par with the global clinical research market by the year 2010, Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) Dr Surinder Singh said today.

Addressing the concluding session of the two-day international conference on clinical research and drug development here, he said the Indian pharmaceutical industry is growing at an annual rate of 11 per cent, while the clinical research industry is growing at an annual rate of whopping 84 per cent.

McKinsey estimated that clinical research in the country would be a USD one billion industry by 2010, whereas Ernest&Young indicates around USD 1.5-2 billion by the year 2010, he said, adding that India can attract between five to 10 per cent of the global contract research outsourced market over next five years.

Dr Singh, however, emphasised that India needs to evolve clinical reserach organisation (CRO) registry, an approval system for site and inspection, sound monitoring systems for trial guidelines and a firm finger printing mechanism for patient enrollment coupled with e-governance structure which will also allow every application for the approvals of trials to be viewed.

''We should also work closely with the FDA of USA to set up training programmes,'' he added.

The conference, organized by the Institute of Clinical Research, India (ICRI), in partnership with the Union Government's department of science and technology, was attended by about 100 national and international experts from the pharmaceutical industry, academia and government and regulatory bodies.

It was concluded that improving the regulatory framework to speed up approvals pertaining to the 'Phase 1 trials', setting up of an association of Clinical Research professionals to form an export promotion council to help put India on the fastrack for the global clinical trials market would boost the Indian clinical research market.

Urging the industry to come closer with the ICRI, the Union health joint secretary, Debashish Panda said an association of clinical research professionals and society members with an institution like ICRI in the forefront would help form the export promotion council to promote the business of clinical research and open the market to the international pharmaceutical industry giving a fillip to the Indian industry.

ICRI Chairman S R Dugal said Indian companies are playing an important role in early drug discovery processes due to their substantial experience in the field of generic drugs with India becoming an established venue for chemistry and drug discovery developments than China.

''We aim to position India as the preferred destination for the Science of Clinical Research on a global platform,'' he added.

The conference was followed by the ICRI Awards 2008 to recognize the contributions of all the individuals who are devoted to Clinical Research profession in the industry.

The Life Time Achievement Award was given to Dr (Mrs) Nilima Kshirsagar, MD, DM Ex-Dean-Seth G Medical College and KEM Hospital and Director of Maharashtra University of Health Sciences, Nasik. The Distinguished Investigator Award was given to Dr S H Advani, MD, Medical Oncologist, former Chief Consultant of Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai.

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