Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News reports on clinical trials in developing...( New Rochelle NY March 18 2008Biotech...),Health

New Rochelle, NY, March 18, 2008Biotechnology companies are increasingly turning to developing nations as sites for clinical trials, reports Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News (GEN). Increasing competition for clinical trial patients in the industrialized world is one of the major reasons for the offshore move, according to an article in the March 15 issue of GEN (http://www.genengnews.com/articles/chitem.aspx?aid=2401)

A ready supply of patients and large potential markets are other key drivers for the decision to conduct clinical trials in developing countries, notes John Sterling, Editor-in-Chief of GEN.

Developing nations also offer less competition from other ongoing clinical trials and patients and investigators are often eager to participate. In addition, biotech and pharma companies usually conduct trials in cities, as opposed to rural areas, since many developing world cities have doctors, staff, and equipment similar to conditions that are found in the West.

Nevertheless, there are cultural issues that must be addressed in some developing nations. For example, companies need to ascertain that the disease to be studied in a trial is actually recognized as a local morbidity. In many countries, mental illness, insomnia, and depression are seen as character weaknesses rather than as illnesses.

In the GEN article, insights on conducting clinical trials in developing countries are provided by Peregrine Pharmaceuticals, Integrated Clinical Trials Services, PharmaNet, Advaxis, and Pharm-Olam International.

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