The Association of Contract Research Organizations (ACRO) India has unanimously elected D A Prasanna, founder and chairman Ecron Acunova, as the chairman of the Association. He took over from Apurva Shah, group managing director, Veeda Clinical Research Pvt. Ltd.

Speaking on the appointment, D A Prasanna said that clinical research in India has contributed to bringing vaccines, drugs, devices to needy patients at affordable prices. From neglected diseases like kala azar to tropical disease like malaria, Indian clinical research has alleviated suffering. India has made a name in the world in lowering healthcare costs through generics and building a reputation in development of biotech drugs and medical devices. In the last few years, clinical research has come under criticism as being unsafe and severe regulation has been imposed.

ACRO India’s priority is to promote safe conduct of clinical research without impeding the development of much needed drugs for Indian patients. ACRO India will promote global best practice to make Indian research data useful to market drugs developed in India, across the world.

As the founder and chairman of Ecron Acunova CRO, Prasanna has built an Indian CRO with presence in 28 countries and helped bring advanced cell therapy drugs to generic drugs to Indian and global patients. He has experience in leveraging Asian competitiveness, building successful global business in medical technology for GE and software for Wipro. Considered a thought leader in Life Sciences, he has held global CEO positions in GE Healthcare and was vice chairman of Wipro. He serves on biotechnology vision group of Karnataka government.

ACRO India founded and registered in India in 2005 has been formed under the aegis of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) for bringing all CROs operating in India under one common platform. ACRO India will promote quality research, uphold ethics, share best practices, promote synergies amongst members, to deliberate and act upon common concerns, specially with regard to Indian regulations and industry environment. ACRO India will represent the interests of Indian CROs to regional, national and international authorities and organizations.