Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is now looking for potential
research initiatives from the life sciences industry which would focus
on diabetes and infectious diseases among the future areas of study.

Going
by the incidence of diabetes, which currently affects 50.9 million in
the country, ICMR has mandated a need to tackle this epidemic which is a
serious and life threatening disorders that is seen to manifest both
the children and adult population, Dr Vishwa Mohan Katoch, secretary,
department of health research and director general, ICMR told Pharmabiz.

In
the area of diabetes, ICMR is funding projects put forth by the pharma
industry and scientific researchers to develop a new generation of
quick diagnostics using saliva and blood. There are also a couple of
projects looking at ways to handle insulin resistance for which
financial assistance has been sought, he added.

The Department of
Health Research is one of the core centres of the Ministry of Health
and Family Welfare which is now supporting all the initiatives to
contain chronic and infectious diseases, he said.

Since the
country has been able to eradicate small pox and leprosy, the control
of diabetes and infectious diseases was also possible going by the
scientific capability. ICMR is now encouraging development of
diagnostic tests and affordable vaccines. These could be in the area of
vector borne diseases besides non communicable diseases like diabetes,
cancer, central nervous system disorders, cardiovascular diseases among
others.

The government of India has also allocated a financial assistance to the tune of Rs.500
crore to set up 200 virology labs across the country. To begin with,
efforts have been made to set up four state level labs, of which one is
already commissioned at Manipal, Dakishina Kannada district, Karnataka
in October-end apart from 6 regional laboratories to carry out the
virology tests.

The remaining labs are expected to come up over
the next two years. These labs are coming up under the aegis of the
department of health research along with the support of the Indian
Council of Medical Research. While 160 of the 200 labs would look at
molecular diagnostics and serology, the remaining would address the
immediate testing and disbursal of result reports.

In another
effort, the government is focusing on helping faster access to service
to reduce the maternal and child mortality. There are also several
nutritional research projects on the cards. "We are looking for
innovation and implementation of simple and affordable solutions for
the patients in the areas of technology development in diagnostics and
drug administration therapy," said Dr Katoch.