Sama conducted a research study from 2011- 2013 exploring the perceptions and experiences of clinical trial participants in India. The study aims to ascertain the motivations of clinical trial participants behind their decision to participate in trials and explore their perceptions and understanding of the different concepts and processes associated with clinical trials. The study also explores the perceptions of key actors related to clinical trials such as Principal Investigators (PIs), representatives of Contract Research Organisations (CROs), Clinical Research Coordinators (CRCs), representative of pharmaceutical company, Programme Managers (PM) and members of Ethics Committee (EC) regarding the process involved in designing and conducting clinical trials, as well as their attitude towards clinical trial participants.
The study was conducted across 37 institutions across four states, Andhra Pradesh, Gujrat, Maharashtra and Delhi. The selection of the states was guided by the information available in the Clinical Trial Registry of India (CTRI) and the understanding of the broader context of political economy of clinical trials industry in India.