International Clinical Trials Day Celebration 2023

 

*Symposium on Patient Engagement-Benchmark in Clinical Trials*

Bureau chief R L Pandey

Lucknow: CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute in partnership with DNDi India Foundation organized a symposium titled "Patient Engagement: Benchmark in Clinical Trials today here at CDRI auditorium. The symposium was organized on the eve of International Clinical Trials Day that is celebrated on May 20th every year to commemorate the day in 1747 when James Lind, a Scottish physician, conducted what is considered the first clinical trial in history. By doing so he laid the foundation for modern clinical research.

The symposium that brought together experts from the field of clinical research and patient engagement focused on patient-oriented clinical trials that prioritize outcomes that matter most to patients. 

*Patient's trust in clinical researches plays a key role in the retention of the participants and their engagement: Dr Radha Rangarajan*

The retention and active participation of participants in clinical research greatly depend on the trust they have in such studies. During the opening of the Symposium, Dr. Radha Rangarajan, Director of CSIR-CDRI, welcomed the guests and participants while providing an overview of the event. In her speech, she shared her personal experience as a participant in a clinical trial and emphasized the need for a more patient-centric approach to engage patients in these trials. The trust patients place in clinical research plays a pivotal role in keeping participants involved and committed. However, many patients lack a comprehensive understanding of clinical trials, and not all patients are consistently invited to participate. On average, around 80% of trials encounter difficulties with enrollment, and up to 30% of patients who initially join a clinical trial end up withdrawing from the study. Therefore, raising public awareness and improving understanding are essential factors.

During her speech, she highlighted that a significant portion of research costs arises from clinical development. Moreover, this cost is further amplified by the requirement to recruit specific types of patients, considering factors such as patient availability and the location of the trials.

*Engaging in clinical trials among underserved communities need a strong commitment and investment: Dr Kavita*

Dr. Kavita Singh, Director of DNDi, discussed the patient engagement experience of DNDi in conducting kala azar clinical trials in Bihar. Clinical trials are typically conducted in urban areas or well-established hospitals with educated populations. However, conducting trials in rural areas of Bihar posed challenges, and DNDi developed trials that took into account the local context, the vulnerability of the population, and the sociocultural aspects of the region, she added

Engaging in clinical trials among impoverished and underserved communities necessitates a strong commitment and investment in the gradual process of working with the community and establishing trust. These efforts have yielded significant benefits, such as policy changes and tangible improvements in the lives of patients.

*Patient Centric approach for clinical trials will minimize the burden on patients so they would be ready to volunteer easily: Dr. Srivastava*

Dr. J.S. Srivastava, Professor and Head of the Psychiatry Department at Hind Institute of Medical Sciences and former Chief Scientist at CSIR-CDRI, discussed the concept of adopting a Patient-Centric Approach for Clinical Trials. Rapidly evolving field of digital health technologies offers a remarkable opportunity to revolutionize the way clinical trials are conducted. 

Patient-Centric Trials typically involve a limited number of study sites coordinated by a central study coordination center, enabling data collection from multiple sources. The primary objective of this approach is to alleviate the burden on patients by conducting study visits in locations that are more convenient for them, such as their residences, workplaces, or regular healthcare facilities.

*Strong networks and good conversations among stakeholders, including patients is need of hour for successful clinical trials: Dr. Pooja* 

Dr. Pooja Sharma, Founder CEO of APAR Health delivered her talk on Patient Engagement: Putting Patients First and said, Clinical research has always claimed to prioritize patients, but now it is crucial for it to truly centre around patients. The significance of including the voices of patients in research is evident through the global emphasis on Patient Reported Outcomes (PROs) and Patient Oriented Evidence that Matters (POEM). The time has come to create strong networks and initiate conversations among stakeholders, including patients. It's time to take action.

*About CDRI*: CSIR- Central Drug Research Institute (CSIR-CDRI), a premier drug research institute of India was inaugurated on 17th Feb 1951 by the then Prime Minister of India Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru with a vision to strengthen and advance the field of drug research and development in the country. The Institute has made significant accomplishments in the pursuit of its mission to New Drugs & Technologies for affordable healthcare for all, generation of knowledge base and nurturing future leaders for healthcare sector. 

*About DNDi India Foundation*: DNDi India Foundation is a research organization dedicated to developing new treatments, vaccines and diagnostics for people living with neglected diseases. Through partnerships and collaborations, we strive to address unmet medical needs in low-resource settings, raise awareness and improve access to innovative therapies.