Coimbatore-based PSG Institute of Medical Sciences and Research is planning to enter the clinical trial arena in a big way. The institute will be setting up a full fledged clinical research centre as part of the existing 700 bed teaching hospital, Dr S Ramalingam, principal, PSGIMSR told Pharmabiz. According to him, the proposed CRO should be ready within a year from now.

Commenting on the current ADR programmes being taken up by the hospital, Dr Ramalingam said that the institution had appointed a full time pharmacist to coordinate with the doctors from various departments to record any adverse drug reaction that might come to their notice.

"Presently we are focusing on select drugs. The departments have the ADR forms which would be completed and forwarded to the national centre with the assistance of the pharmacist," he explained.

However, Dr Ramalingam did not give the specifics of the CRO saying that it was in the formative stage.

The Medical College attached to the hospital, which is about 15 years old is known for its quality education. The hospital offers it services in various specialities and sub specialities at costs and has full fledged departments handling specialties like orthopaedics and trauma, neurology and neurosurgery, general surgery, general medicine, cardiology, cardiothoracic surgery, pulmonology, critical care medicine, gastroenterology, paediatrics and paediatric surgery, plastic and reconstructive surgery, obstetrics and gynaecology, ENT and head and neck surgeries, dermatology, psychiatry, ophthalmology, dental surgery, radiology and imaging, nephrology and transplantation unit, diabetology, geriatrics, urology and andrology, medical oncology.

PSG Hospital is equipped with modern, sophisticated monitoring and diagnostic equipments in the operation theatre complex and Intensive Care Unit. It has hi-tech equipments like GE ADVANTX LC+ Digital Cardiovascular Angiography system, a state-of-the-art Cathlab, which is the first of its kind in the region, SARNS - 9000 Heart Lung Machine, HP Modular Monitors, OHMEDA EXCELL - 210 Anaesthesia Machine, Siemens SERVO - 300 Ventilators, DATASCOPE - Intra Aortic Balloon Pump (IABP) - USA. It is also well-equipped with CT scan, ultra sound, echo colour doppler, C-arm, blood gas analyser, mechanical ventilation, phototherapy units, radiant warmers and incubators, for effective newborn care, pulse oxymeters, cardiac monitors and 3 channel monitors, etc for continuous evaluation and diagnosis.