Clinical research has opened up new vistas of employment

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: industry, we require more institutes for clinical research. Institutes like ICRI, are catering to this demand of trained professionals in collaboration with Cranfield University UK.

Also, there are a few other institutes like Bilcare Institute of Clinical Research, RNIS College of Clinical Research and Allied Sciences, New Delhi, Clinical Research Education and Management Academy (CREMA), Veeda Institute of Clinical Research, amongst other players that are coming up in the country.

“To set up such an institute that can accommodate 100 students, it would cost Rs 10 crore to Rs 12 crore,” says AK Nair, COO, Institute of Clinical Research, India.

The courses offered by the clinical research institutes can be done after graduation and gives students an opportunity to look forward to a bright career in pharmaceutical companies (like Zydus, Cadila, DRL, Ranbaxy, NPIL, Biocon etc), and at levels such as chief executive officer; clinical research organisation & site management office; head, clinical trial administrator; head, clinical trial operations; head, business development manager, site operations; head, senior clinical trial manager, clinical trial specialists in audits and head, project manager. The annual salaries range in this field from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 6 lakh plus.

However, the need for well-trained, skilled manpower to feed the need in the market today is important. Interaction between employers and college, university educators is critical to coordinate appropriate preparation of students for the clinical research workforce and the integration of technological developments. The advances in clinical research that are generated in industry must be transferred effectively to college and university classrooms, and faculty and student skill development must keep pace for appropriate workforce preparation to occur. Exploring and perhaps, improving the industry-academia connection in workforce and education may lead to developing and implementing more successful strategies for developing high-quality, industry-relevant human resource pool.

“Public-private partnerships should be pursued more vigorously if the benefits of the clinical research sector in India are to reach and benefit the global clinical research market. Indian companies are playing an important role in early drug discovery processes due to their substantial experience in the field of generic drugs with India becoming an established venue for chemistry and drug discovery developments rather than China,” says Nair.