International Clinical Trials Day: ISCR hails clinical research stakeholders

New Delhi: As the countries all over the world coped with challenges of the pandemic, it was clinical trials that played a vital role in developing the potential treatments and therapies to manage and prevent COVID-19.

On International Clinical Trials Day which falls on May 20^th, the Indian Society for Clinical Research (ISCR) has acknowledged the immense contribution of all clinical research stakeholders who came together to research and develop expedited treatment for COVID-19.

“On this occasion, we would like to pay tribute to the entire clinical research fraternity, particularly the Heroes of Medical Research – the patients, for their immense contribution to the development of better and more effective treatment for existing and unmet medical needs,” said Dr Sanish Davis, President, ISCR. “During the last year in particular, we have witnessed how academia, industry, governments, regulators, not for profit organisations, healthcare professionals and the public collaborated like never before to fight the pandemic and bring hope and new treatment to millions of patients the world over. New models of clinical trials were effectively developed to ensure continuity of trials in a pandemic environment without compromising on patient safety, ethics and quality. To all these stakeholders, we owe a debit of immense gratitude. They are all our heroes!”

Even as the clinical research community focuses a lot of effort on the pandemic, the needs of other medical conditions cannot be ignored. With the world’s highest diseases burden and the second most populous country in the world, India does less than 2% of global clinical trials. “We need to take learnings from the pandemic in terms of collaboration, digital adoption and regulatory adaptiveness and apply them to clinical trials of the future to ensure best and most affordable outcomes for patients in the most optimal time frame,” said Dr Davis. “I am excited about the possibilities and look forward to more collaborative efforts to strengthen the clinical trial ecosystem in our country. Once again, I salute the contribution and dedication of all our clinical trial heroes, patients most of all.”

ISCR, through its various Councils and Chapters, is organising a host of virtual events across the country to commemorate International Clinical Trials Day and calls upon all clinical researchers to participate in these events.

May 20^th every year is celebrated as International Clinical Trials’ Day to commemorate this day in 1747 when Dr James Lind, a Scottish physician, conducted the first controlled clinical trial on a group of sailors suffering from scurvy.