Wed Feb 26 13:39:40 UTC 2025: ## India Urged to Seize Clinical Trial Opportunities at BioAsia 2025

**Hyderabad, February 26, 2025** – Experts at BioAsia 2025 in Hyderabad called for increased government support to boost India’s participation in clinical trials. Despite carrying 15% of the global disease burden, India conducts less than 3% of global clinical trials, a significant missed opportunity, panelists argued.

The discussion, titled “Clinical Trials – India’s Great Opportunity and How to Capture the Market,” highlighted India’s potential. Its diverse population, top-tier hospitals, and growing Global Capability Centre (GCC) infrastructure offer unique advantages for large-scale trials, according to Smruthi Suryaprakash of BCG India. However, she emphasized the need to change public perception, as many Indians remain wary of clinical trials.

Sadhna Joglekar of Novartis Development India pointed out that countries like South Korea and Malaysia have successfully attracted global trials through strong government initiatives, a model India should emulate. The current perception of India as a cost-effective location for multinational companies, rather than a hub for cutting-edge research, has hampered growth, she explained.

Sanjay Vyas of Parexel International stressed the untapped potential in phase-1 trials, currently underutilized in India. New drug molecules are developed elsewhere, bypassing India entirely for these initial trials.

Panelists concluded that a more research-friendly regulatory environment, increased public trust, and investment in early-stage drug development are crucial for India to realize its full potential in the global clinical trials market. The lack of participation represents a significant setback for both India’s medical advancement and its contribution to global health research.

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