India is becoming a hub for clinical research, the demand for professionals in this field is growing rapidly. Clinical research business in India will be worth $1 billion by 2010. Thus, there will soon be a massive demand for clinical research professionals, making it an interesting career option with massive growth potential.

Clinical research is all set to become the next big thing in India. A large population with a substantial workforce and cost benefits influence multinationals to set up research facilities here. Besides due to the prevalence of a large variety of diseases, including widespread cases of cancer and diabetes India is viewed the world over as the ideal location for clinical research trials for the pharmaceutical industry.

A clinical research is a scientific study of the effects, risks, efficacy and benefits of a medicinal product. These are carried out prior to the release of the medicine in the market. These trials are undertaken at various stages and studies are conducted after the launch of a new product to monitor safety and side effects during large-scale use. Clinical trials are conducted by pharmaceutical companies or contract research organizations (CRO) on their behalf. It is this sector that is driving the growth in clinical research in India.