Bridging the Divide: Tackling Recruitment Challenges in Indian Clinical Trials: A Narrative Review

Abstract

India’s clinical trial landscape has witnessed rapid growth over the period, with the recent introduction of remote trial patient monitoring utilising technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI). The vast and diverse population, combined with well-established medical infrastructure and skilled professionals, makes India an ideal location for conducting clinical research. Many international pharmaceutical companies have chosen to outsource their operations to India as well. However, despite India emerging as a significant hub for clinical trials, recruiting participants still presents unique challenges. This review aimed to shed light on the hurdles faced in recruiting participants in Indian clinical trials and explore potential solutions to bridge this gap. It has been highlighted that overcoming the challenges in recruiting participants in Indian clinical trials requires a multi-faceted approach involving various stakeholders. Along with the powerful steps taken by the government in reforming policies and regulatory norms, certain innovative and effective strategies need to be designed to streamline the processes of participant recruitment.

Keywords

• clinical research
• drug development process
• participants
• phase 1 to phase iv
• randomised control trials