The DIA 2014 9th Annual India Conference: The Future of India Healthcare: Patients, Access and Innovation, being held from October 16-18 at the Palladium Hotel in Mumbai, will bring together leading regional and global healthcare experts, including representatives from industry, academia, regulatory, payers and patients, to deliberate how best to catalyze the needed transformation in Indian healthcare so that putting patients first, fostering innovation and enhancing access are clear directives.

Providing excellent patient care is the driver for all healthcare professionals. In this care paradigm, hearing and responding to the patient voice is critical to success. Among its offerings founded on this “Patient First” approach, DIA 2014 9th Annual India Conference will present a unique session focused on important ethical considerations affecting patient participation in clinical trials in India: “Participant Understanding and Informed Consent” which will address challenges and barriers to patient understanding of clinical trials and to the application of current pertinent regulations (e.g., videotaped informed consents). It will also explore international standards for data surrounding their clinical trial participation and potential regulations requiring the return of clinical trial results to these patients.

This conference will also feature a daily opening keynote by key thought leaders from India plus a subsequent plenary presentation: M K Bhan (former secretary, department of biotechnology, Government of India) will deliver the October 16 keynote, followed by the patients plenary session; G N Singh, drug controller general of India, will deliver the October 17 keynote, followed by the access plenary session; and the plenary session on innovations will follow the keynote delivered by Kiran Shaw Mazumdar (chairperson and managing director, Biocon) on October 18.

The conference will be co-chaired by Padmashree Prof Ranjit Roy Chaudhury (chairman, task force for research, Apollo Hospitals Group) and Alexandra Pearce (senior vice president; head, global regulatory affairs; Glenmark Pharmaceuticals).

DIA is an independent, nonprofit organization with its global center located in Washington, DC (US).It is the global connector in the life sciences product development life cycle. An association of more than 30,000 key stakeholders, DIA builds productive relationships by bringing together regulators, life sciences professionals and academics, patient advocates and other influencers to exchange knowledge and collaborate in a neutral setting.

To learn more about DIA 2014 9th Annual India Conference or to register online, visit www.diahome.org/India-9thAM.