ISCR annual conference to be held in Gurgaon

Patients, investigators to be speakers at Annual ISCR Conference

Clinical Research in India – Towards Achche Din will be the theme of the 8th Annual Conference of the Indian Society for Clinical Research being held in Hotel Leela Ambience, Gurgaon on February 13-14, 2015. Reportedly, the event will bring together over 250 professionals across the clinical research ecosystem in the country and overseas to discuss and debate the future of clinical research in India.

“The last few years have seen a decline in clinical research in India which has resulted in lack of patient access to clinical studies, a severe decline in academic research, shrinking of existing research capacity and infrastructure, and diversion of research opportunities and funding from India to other countries. Such a decline is not compatible with the role that the government believes that biomedical sciences has to play in securing the country’s health and its future in science and technology. India leads the world with an enormous disease burden which makes it imperative that the country aggressively solicits public and private investments in drug discovery and clinical development,” said Dr Madhuri Jadhav, General Secretary, ISCR.

It is in this context that ISCR’s Annual Conference in 2015 will attempt to take stock of the distance the country will have to travel and the gaps that have to be closed for clinical research to experience Achche Din, the good days that the new administration has promised. Besides spokesperson from the industry, academia and government/quasi government institutions, this year will also see dedicated sessions for patients and investigators that will capture the challenges they face in combating illness and disease. “In his new year message, the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has committed that 2015 would be the year for streamlining of regulatory procedures without compromising on patient safety and we hope that the year will bring renewed hope for patients in India. It is only through clinical research that we can bring better and more cost effective treatment to our suffering patients,” said Suneela Thatte, President, ISCR. This year’s conference which commemorated the tenth anniversary of ISCR will also see the launch of NavChetana, an initiative supported by ISCR to create awareness about the role and value of clinical research in India, and the screening of a patient education film on clinical research.