Kochi, Jan 29 (PTI) Amrita Hospital in Kochi has been designated as an Advanced Center for Clinical Trials (ACCT) by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the country's apex body for promotion of biomedical research.

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The hospital is one among three hospitals in south India and the only one from Kerala to be nominated as ACCT by the ICMR.

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ICMR had last year called for Expression of Interest (EOI) for participation in the Indian Clinical Trial & Education Network (INTENT), a pan-India network of institutes with proven excellence in clinical research, and has now declared a total of 12 hospitals and healthcare institutes across the country as ACCT.

The network would conduct large-scale, multi-centric clinical trials in a timely and well-regulated manner. Government and private medical colleges and institutes as well as hospitals with experience of conducting randomised controlled trials were invited to be nominated as ACCT.

Dr Jaideep Menon, an adult cardiology consultant at Amrita Hospital, who will lead the ACCT said they look forward to playing a pivotal role in bolstering the country's healthcare system and reducing the disease burden.

"It is a matter of great honour and pride for us that we have been selected as an Advanced Centre for Clinical Trials by ICMR, which is a testimony to our heritage of medical excellence going back more than two decades. The ongoing pandemic has taught us the importance of a strong healthcare system backed by advanced centres where trials of various drugs and vaccines can be successfully conducted," Menon said.

Research priorities of INTENT include reproductive, maternal, neonatal, child and adolescent health, communicable and non-communicable diseases, nutrition, mental health, environmental health, health system research, healthcare financing, digital health, occupational health, vulnerable people's health and oral health.

Amrita Hospital is equipped with state-of-the-art medical facilities and considered among the best hospitals in south India for conducting medical and clinical trials.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)