05 October 2012 | News | By BioSpectrum Bureau
Malaysia urges graduates to pursue career in clinical research
Malaysia's Minister of Health Mr Liow Tiong Lai at the opening of the 6th national conference for clinical research 2012
Singapore: Malaysia is making efforts to develop expertise in various scientific and clinical disciplines among its graduates and to consider involvement in clinical research as a career option.
Speaking at 6th National Conference for Clinical Research 2012 (NCCR 2012) held in Kuala Lumpur recently, Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak said, "In positioning Malaysia as an attractive site for clinical trial outsourcing, the multiplier effect of such investments will pay dividends in terms of wealth, health and human capital. To succeed, it is imperative to increase the pool of potential researchers and to encourage more graduates to choose clinical research as a lifelong career."
"Under the umbrella of the Economic Transformation Programme, Clinical Research Malaysia will be able to contribute another facet towards the multiplier effect of healthcare as an emerging economic engine," he added.
Held for the sixth consecutive year, the NCCR 2012 is supported by the Clinical Research Centre (CRC) of the Ministry of Health, as a major forum that addresses issues and challenges in the clinical trials ecosystem.
The NCCR 2012 focuses on the need to attract, nurture and retain expertise in various scientific and clinical disciplines to meet growing demand for clinical trials from the biopharmaceuticals, medical devices and generics sector.
In addition to graduates from medicine, pharmacy and allied health professionals, the clinical research team also requires experts in basic science, IT, bioinformatics and biostatistics, among others.