India's clinical trials market to be $300M

Indian drug industry analysts say that the value of the expanding pharmaceutical clinical trials sector could reach a value of $300.0 million by 2010, but a shortage of trained manpower will restrict growth. Both the Institute of Clinical Research India in Delhi and the Bioinformatics Institute of India in Noida have launched courses for clinicians.

Anand Nair, vice president, operations, with the ICRI, has said that drugmakers including Ranbaxy, Pfizer and Covance have inspected facilities and there are plans to extend the current MSc course in clinical research across three centers in Bangalore. India's Academy of Clinical Excellence is also offering a diploma course.

Meanwhile, it is reported that, this year, Quintiles Japan plans to set up a university facility in Bangalore, a city which now has some 21 clinical research organizations.