In this episode of the State of the Economy podcast, businessline’s PT Jyothi Datta speaks to Dr. Sanish Davis, President, Indian Society for Clinical Research, to understand the Indian clinical trial landscape and how it stacks up against the global ecosystem.

“If you look at the number of studies that were done prior to the pandemic and the number of studies that are being done currently, there’s definitely an uptick in the number of studies.”, says Dr. Davis. He emphasises the increasing focus on unmet medical needs in oncology, immunology, and rare diseases.

Reflecting on past and present trial numbers, Dr. Davis remarks, “The reality is that the companies who are doing studies in India are very sure that these products will be marketed in India,” highlighting India’s growing prominence as a hub for clinical research.

Davis talks about the regulatory landscape, explaining the significance of the 2019 New Drugs and Clinical Trial Rules. He underscores the need for streamlined approval processes.

“We need regulations which actually can work for these innovations when they come out,” says Dr. Davis on emerging therapies, underscoring the importance of aligning regulatory frameworks with scientific advancements.

Addressing participant safety, he highlights India’s unique provisions for medical management and compensation in case of trial-related injuries. “India is probably the only unique country in the world where a clinical trial safety net is there,”.

Listen in!

(Host: PT Jyothi Datta; Producers: Amitha Rajkumar, Siddharth Mathew Cherian)

About the State of the Economy podcast 

India’s economy has been hailed as a bright spot amid the general gloom that seems to have enveloped the rest of the world. But several sectors continue to stutter even as others seem set to fire on all cylinders. To help you make sense of the bundle of contradictions that the country is, businessline brings you podcasts with experts ranging from finance and marketing to technology and start-ups. 

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