Government’s role crucial to boost clinical trials in India: Experts at BioAsia 2025

Experts discuss the crucial role of government in enhancing India's participation in clinical trials at BioAsia 2025 panel.

Experts at a panel discussion during BioAsia 2025 in Hyderabad on Wednesday, highlighted the crucial role of government and policymakers in enhancing India’s participation in clinical trials. Despite bearing 15% of the global disease burden, India conducts less than 3% of the world’s clinical trials, raising concerns over the country’s limited contribution to global clinical research, the experts said.

During the panel discussion titled ‘Clinical Trials - India’s Great Opportunity and How to Capture the Market’, Smruthi Suryaprakash, Partner at BCG India, pointed out that India’s diverse population is a significant asset for clinical trials, offering researchers access to rich datasets. She highlighted that the country has top-tier hospitals and an expanding Global Capability Centre (GCC) infrastructure, which positions it well for conducting large-scale clinical trials. However, she noted that a shift in public perception is essential, as many Indians still view clinical trials as an exploitative rather than a fundamental pillar of medical research.

“India’s early narrative around multinational companies using the country for cost advantages or easy access to a vast patient pool hindered its growth as a clinical trial hub,” said Sadhna Joglekar of Novartis Development India. She noted that neighbouring countries such as South Korea and Malaysia have successfully developed ecosystems conducive to clinical research through strong government initiatives, attracting global trials away from India.

Sanjay Vyas, President and Global Head of Safety Services & Clinical Logistics at Parexel International, stressed the need for India to recognise the long-term benefits of clinical trials, particularly in improving patient access to cutting-edge medications. He highlighted that while India is actively engaged in phase-2, phase-3 and phase-4 trials, there remains untapped potential in phase-1 trials, which are currently conducted on a limited basis. He noted that new drug molecules developed outside India still do not undergo initial-phase trials in the country, representing a significant missed opportunity.

The panelists collectively urged policymakers to create a more research-friendly regulatory environment, foster trust in clinical trials and encourage investments in early-stage drug development.