As the world over celebrates International Clinical Trials Day on May 20th, the Indian Society for Clinical Research has dedicated the day to patients and particularly to patients who have participated in clinical trials and because of whom we today have access to better and newer medicines.
Suneela Thatte, President, Indian Society for Clinical Research (ISCR), said, “Patients First is ISCR’s theme for International Clinical Trials Day 2014. Groundbreaking scientific advances in the past and the present were and are possible only because of participation of volunteers, both healthy and those diagnosed with an illness, in clinical trials. It is patients who are the real heroes of the story. Without their contribution to understanding how humans react to different medicines, we would not have the advancements in healthcare we have today.”
To commemorate the day, ISCR released ‘Clinical Trials – A Guide for Participants’ which provides responses to commonly asked questions about clinical trials as also guides patients participating in clinical trials on questions they need to ask their clinical investigator. Thatte said, “Core to clinical research is a commitment to patient privacy, safety and ethics. The guide we have released is a step forward by ISCR in empowering patients with enough understanding and knowledge on clinical trials so that they can make a responsible and informed decision to participate. Given the misconceptions that exist about clinical research in the country today, we felt it was necessary to provide an objective guide for patients. We seek the media support in making the information in the Guide available to the general public.”
The guide will also be distributed widely to investigators and medical institutions involved in clinical research. ISCR is also hosting a panel discussion on clinical research in Mumbai in partnership with Tata Memorial Hospital to commemorate International Clinical Trials Day. On May 20, 1747, Dr James Lind, a Scottish physician, conducted the first controlled clinical trial on a group of sailors suffering from scurvy. Through their participation in the study, the sailors contributed to the discovery that Vitamin C was an effective treatment for scurvy. The day is now commemorated as International Clinical Trials Day.
EP News Bureau- Mumbai
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