'India conducted only 2,010 clinical trials'

A total of 2,010 clinical trials were conducted in India as compared to over 63,000 in the US and total 130,302 around the world, parliament was informed on Tuesday. 'As against 130,302 clinical trials reported from various parts of the world till August 2012, only 2,010 clinical trials were conducted in India. And 1,542 trials were conducted in last six years,' Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad told Rajya Sabha in a written reply.

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'While US reported 63,036 clinical trials, 34,616 were done in Europe, 3,091 in China and 3,551 in South Korea,' he said. However, cases of irregularities in conducting such trials have been reported in the country, the minister said. He said that to strengthen the regulatory mechanism for conducting clinical trials, Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945 has been amended. 'The new provisions include compensation in case of injury or death, free medical management as required, and expansion of responsibilities of sponsor and investigator, among others,' he added.

Source: IANS