An Indo-US workshop on Bio-ethics in Clinical Research, co-sponsored by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has been planned here from June 20, 2006.

The workshop will focus on ethical aspects related to clinical research and clinical trials. It is intended for clinical researchers who have been or are currently involved in various aspects of clinical research and clinical trials in India. This workshop is also to provide a platform for sharing real-life experiences (problems and solutions) on ethical issues involved in the conduct of clinical research and trials.

The three day workshop is part of a series of workshops on clinical trials and clinical research planned over the next 2 - 3 years. The first workshop was held from April 4 - 6, 2006 in Mumbai in collaboration with Seth GS Medical College & King Edward Memorial Hospital.

The goal of the series of workshops is to provide state-of-the-art training on clinical research, with particular emphasis on clinical trials and the complex requirements necessary for the testing and licensure of drugs, vaccines, diagnostics, and devices for therapeutic and preventive use.

These workshops will focus on study site preparation, sample size calculation, and randomization; relevant clinical and laboratory studies; operational and logistic needs for implementing projects; regulatory, ethical and legal issues; good clinical practices; and data management, biostatistics, and information technology. Faculty will comprise international and national experts with experience in various aspects of clinical research.