The scientific industry marks May 20 as clinical trials day. It commemorates James Lind considered to have conducted the first randomised clinical trial aboard a ship on May 20, 1747, while treating scurvy. In India, clinical trials evoke sharp emotions as they involve testing drugs on healthy volunteers and patients, and there is always the fear of people being used for tests without their knowledge or consent. The Indian regulatory environment though has become more stringent as it is streamlined to facilitate trials. The day is marked across the world by raising awareness on doing clinical trials right to not just get new drugs out for the pharmaceutical industry but to ultimately benefit the patient, as well.

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