The Indian Council of Medical Research’s National Institute of Traditional Medicine (ICMR-NITM) is organising a two-day national training programme on “Designing and Conducting Clinical Trials” in Belagavi starting Thursday.
“This training programme, which will conclude on Friday, has been planned for clinical researchers across the country. In view of aspirations of our country to become a clinical research hub, regular training and updates in the conduct of clinical trials, including on integrative health research and ethical conduct, are necessary. This programme is planned to meet this need,” ICMR-NITM director Subarna Roy told journalists in Belagavi on Wednesday.
“With the focus slowly shifting towards integrative health research that includes components from modern medicine as well as AYUSH systems for holistic health and wellbeing, ICMR-NITM has incorporated aspects of conducting clinical trials in these fields also in the proposed workshop,” he said.
He said that the programme aims to strengthen clinical research capabilities across the health systems, including clinicians and researchers from Medical, Dental, Pharmacy, Ayurveda, Homoeopathy, Unani and Basic Sciences. He said that 50 participants from various States, including Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, are expected to participate in the programme.
NITM is trying to bridge the research and communication gaps between alternative medicine, traditional medicine and modern medicine. Its mandate includes validating healing practices of traditional healers, identifying and isolating molecules from medicinal plants and training students of medical, pharmacology, engineering and other streams.
During COVID-19, NITM was the first institution in North Karnataka to set up a testing lab. It ended up testing over 4.5 lakh samples. It has also worked with the State government in policy formulation regarding nutrient deficiencies, medicinal plants and tribal healthcare.
ICMR-NITM has been working in close collaboration with the State health authorities, medical colleges and health research institutions in the region for the past decade and a half, Dr. Roy said.
He said that it has not only been providing various diagnostic and research support but it has also been instrumental in training and capacity building of health professionals and students in the region.
Resource persons Padma Priyadarsini, Director, ICMR-National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis, Chennai, Shivaprasad Goudar, Head, WHO collaborating Centre, JNMC Belagavi, Aparna Mukherjee, senior scientist and Head of the ICMR-Clinical Trial Network at ICMR, New Delhi, Tejas K. Patel from AIIMS, Gorakhpur, R. Balaji from ICMR-NIRT Chennai, Jaya Singh Kshatri from ICMR-RMRC, Bhubaneswar, and M.S. Ganachari, Registrar, KAHER, will deliver lectures on various aspects during sessions on the two days.
Manish Barvaliya, senior scientist and Head of the Health Systems Research Department of ICMR-NITM, who is the organising secretary of the workshop, is co-ordinating with the speakers and delegates.
