Over the past two decades, clinical research has shifted from Western countries to emerging low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) in Eastern Europe, Latin America, and Africa, with offshored R&D activities from the US, Europe, and Japan gaining attention. Studies challenge the traditional cost-related reasons for offshoring clinical trials, emphasizing the importance of recruiting human subjects in trials faster.
Latin America attracts clinical trials due to its faster and easier patient recruitment, diverse population, and strong doctor-patient relationships. In 2020, there were 67 medical device trials in Latin America, a 67.5% increase from 40 in 2017. Colombia, one of the countries attracting more Medtech clinical trials in the region, is updating the medical device clinical trial framework to make the approval process faster and more efficient.
