Aceas, an Ahmedabad based clinical research training centre is finalising plans to set up a new division for management of obesity and related diseases. The centre will also be doing research to fine tune a better weight reduction module.

The new division, Bariatrics, will trigger operations in a multidisciplinary clinic at Ahmedabad to be launched by the beginning of December 2006. The company has plans to go all over India through franchisees by the year 2007, once the pilot project hits the target, according to Dr A K Batham, executive director, Aceas.

He said that the company would also conduct research on obesity and related diseases from the new division, which will introduce a holistic approach of Ayurveda, Allopathy, Naturopathy, Dietetics and Yoga for reduction of obesity and weight without strenuous dietary methods. "There are around 30 disease associated to obesity and diabetes, according to the WHO statistics. We are targeting these areas for treatment and research, according to the international guidelines for dietary management," maintained Batham.

The Aceas training centre engaged in providing management and technical training for the in house staffs of clinical research centres is to widen its operations to major cities including New Delhi and Mumbai, by the next fiscal year. The company, launched by the beginning of financial year 2006-07, has its activities at Gujarat based clinical research organisations.

"At present, only less than 10 per cent of the total staff in a clinical research centre are trained to meet the regulatory needs. The number of people trained in CROs and Pharmaceutical R&Ds to conduct clinical trial is very less. We are targeting to get into this gap with our expertise in the field," told Batham.

The company has also commenced a division of independent ethics committee, IEC Aditya to offer consultancy services for the clinical research organisations and institutes. The division is also envisaging a catapult with the mushrooming of the clinical research activities in the country, he added.