Karachi: Ziauddin University in collaboration with IQVIA RDS Pakistan organised workshop focused on ‘Understanding Clinical Trials and Key Stakeholders.’

Workshop, part of Corporate Social Responsibility academic session, aimed to provide participants with insights into clinical research industry, covering essential topics such as ICH-GCP Guidelines, scope of clinical research and career pathways in field. It offered students and faculty members’ valuable information to help them make informed decisions about their future careers in clinical research. “To find better drugs and procedures for curing diseases, we must invest in clinical trials,” said Dr. Zulfiqar Umrani Director of Office of Research, Innovation and Commercialization at Ziauddin University, during his welcome address. He highlighted university’s involvement in international clinical trials for diseases such as rabies, COVID-19 and Hepatitis C and D and emphasised need for locally relevant data, noting that many treatments currently cater to Western populations. Syed Munawar Ali Head of Clinical Operations discussed lack of national data on Hepatitis D patients in Pakistan and underscored the critical need for localized clinical trials. He pointed out that oncology remains most researched field in Pakistan.

In addition, Ali reflected on IQVIA’s long-standing history in country, highlighting its contributions to clinical research and ongoing efforts to improve patient care through advanced clinical operations. Bharti Kachela senior clinical research analyst at IQVIA provided detailed overview of clinical trial process, including steps and guidelines involved.

Workshop concluded by emphasising importance of aligning Pakistan’s clinical research practices with international standards, fostering collaboration between academia and industry to advance healthcare research and innovation. Workshop concluded by reinforcing significance of aligning Pakistan’s clinical research with international standards like ICH-GCP. Participants left with deeper understanding of clinical trial landscape and its potential to shape healthcare advancements. This initiative, driven by collaboration between academia and industry, paves way for future healthcare professionals to contribute meaningfully to medical research and innovation, benefiting both local and global communities.