Excerpts from a conversation with Kanishk Dugal, COO, ICRI in which he shares his views on how clinical research education is evolving in India, how do educational efforts aimed at the public and healthcare providers will help in raising awareness of clinical research, and more.
With more than 16 years of experience as a leading educator in India, Kanishk is currently in charge of ICRI, a specialized institution for new-generation professions such as logistics, aviation, healthcare, clinical research, clinical psychology, and artificial intelligence.
How do you see the clinical research education landscape evolving in India? How is it adapting to the developments in the field of clinical research?
The clinical Research industry is increasing. The global clinical trials market size was estimated at USD 49.8 billion in 2022 and is expected to reach USD 52.7 billion in 2023, and by 2030, the size would reach USD 78 Billion. India's clinical research education landscape is evolving rapidly, with a growing emphasis on professional training and certification programs to meet the demands of the fast-paced industry.
Additionally, there has been an increasing focus on collaboration between academia and industry to ensure that the training programs align with the industry's needs and the regulatory framework.
Since the Clinical Trials have been conducted in India, the pace to develop trained professionals has increased. Owing to the ease that can be seen in conducting clinical trials for the CRO, the segment has developed tremendously
There is a growing trend toward using digital technology in clinical research, including electronic data capture, mobile health applications, wearable devices, and telemedicine. Advances in genomics, proteomics, and other areas of personalized medicine are changing how clinical trials are designed and conducted.
Clinical trials are essential for identifying and characterizing interventions to prevent, diagnose, and treat disease. How do educational efforts aimed at the public and healthcare providers raise awareness of clinical research? It also elaborates on its vital role in improving health and quality of life.
Educational efforts aimed at the public and healthcare providers play a critical role in raising awareness of the concept of clinical research and its vital role in improving health and quality of life. It can help the public understand what clinical trials are, how they work, and the benefits they offer. Education can help increase participation in clinical trials, critical for advancing medical knowledge and developing new treatments. Education can also help healthcare providers stay up-to-date with and incorporate the latest research findings into their practice.
While various CROs offer a full range of clinical trial implementation services globally, what approach or methodologies do expert teams follow when working with sponsors to tailor the best solution for each project and deliver clinical trials to the highest quality?
Expert teams work with sponsors to understand the specific requirements of each project, including the therapeutic area, study design, patient population, and geographic location. This helps to identify any potential challenges or risks and ensure that the project is set up for success.
Expert teams use data-driven approaches to identify and select the best sites for the study, considering factors such as patient demographics, site experience, and regulatory requirements. Once sites are selected, expert teams provide ongoing support and oversight to ensure the study is conducted to the highest quality.
Clinical research is a complex enterprise with multiple stakeholders, teams, tasks, and challenges. Please elaborate on the importance of advanced understanding that clinical trial project managers should possess to apply the project management techniques and methodologies to coordinate all aspects of a clinical study.
An advanced understanding of project management techniques and methodologies is essential for clinical trial project managers to coordinate all aspects of a clinical study. By using these techniques, project managers can effectively manage complex processes, mitigate risks, ensure compliance, facilitate communication, and maximize efficiency, thereby contributing to the success of clinical trials.
Clinical Research students need to learn and conduct clinical research trials since they play a role in developing nations as future researchers. According to a recent report, 20% of students say there is no adequate time to do research during the course, and they face challenges owing to a lack of training and guidance from research supervisors. How can this issue be addressed?
Addressing the issues of inadequate time, lack of training, and guidance for clinical research students requires a multi-faceted approach. Incorporating research training into the curriculum, providing adequate time for research, offering mentorship and guidance, providing access to research resources, and collaborating with industry can help to overcome these challenges and enable clinical research students to contribute to the development of nations as future researchers
Despite the importance of clinical research, a variety of factors discourage young candidates from entering clinical research careers. The training is long, there needs to be more mentors, and salaries for physician investigators do not approach those that can be obtained in medical practice. How can the industry address these challenges?
To address the challenges that discourage young candidates from entering clinical research careers, the industry can take several steps, including:
The industry could reduce the time required for clinical research training by developing innovative training programs using advanced technology and simulation-based learning. The industry can encourage mentorship by creating mentorship programs that pair young candidates with experienced researchers. The industry can provide continuing education opportunities to clinical researchers to keep them up to date with the latest advancements in the field. The industry could promote the impact of clinical research by highlighting its role in improving patient outcomes, advancing medical knowledge, and developing new treatments.
Some of the challenges faced in the Clinical Research sector include the need to communicate the relevance of clinical research findings to healthcare providers, the need for evidence-based medical practice, and the need for research that addresses health disparities. How can these be addressed?
To address the challenges faced in the clinical research sector, such as the need to communicate the relevance of clinical research findings to healthcare providers, the need for evidence-based medical practice, and the need for research that addresses health disparities, the following actions can be taken, these include improving communication and dissemination of research findings, encouraging evidence-based medical practice, addressing health disparities, improving diversity in clinical research and strengthening collaborations between stakeholders
How do you see the clinical research market evolving in the near future?
With the increasing focus on precision medicine and personalized treatments, there will likely be greater demand for clinical research studies to identify patient subgroups and develop targeted therapies. In addition, technology and digital health solutions are expected to continue to drive innovation in clinical research, making trials more efficient and cost-effective.
Another important trend is the globalization of clinical research, with emerging markets in Asia and Latin America expected to play an increasingly important role in conducting trials.
