Health Minister claimed that clinical trials aiming to comprehend the efficacy of new therapy across a diverse Asian population would benefit from Malaysia’s multiethnic population.
Malaysia has the potential to establish itself as a premier global centre for clinical research as a result of its genomic diversity according to Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.
He claimed that clinical trials aiming to comprehend the efficacy of a new therapy across a diverse Asian population would benefit from Malaysia’s multiethnic population. There is no other nation that arguably possesses one-third of the world’s genomic diversity profile. We have the Chinese or Indian population, which makes up one-third of the world, as well as a sizable Malay population.
“Since genetic variations affect how well a treatment works, the experts assure me that this is sound science,” he said. Earlier today, Clinical Research Malaysia (CRM), Novartis Malaysia, and the Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) signed a memorandum of understanding at this location.
Khairy was speaking at the event. He added that SGH and other Malaysian institutions had some of the best principal investigators in the entire world.
The cost of clinical research and trials in Malaysia, he added, are relatively low, and the country has one of the quickest trial turnaround times in the world. “As a result, Malaysia now ranks second in South-East Asia for the number of clinical trials sponsored by the private sector.”
“I’ve challenged CRM to overtake the market in the next three years,” he declared. With the MOU, SGH, according to Khairy, will become Novartis’ preferred site for clinical research, turning it into a national centre of excellence for various stages of clinical trials.
In addition to addressing the health equity gap in Sarawak, he continued, “by establishing this site in Sarawak, Malaysia can leverage by attracting talent ranging from medical specialists to researchers who would be encouraged to work in this region.”
Separately, Khairy opted not to respond to a question about possibly running for office in Seremban during the 15th General Election (GE).
Khairy had said on Sunday that he was prepared to give up his Rembau parliamentary seat to division chief and Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, adding that in the worst-case scenario he would not contest in the coming election.
DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke had predicted that Seremban would be one of the hottest seats in GE15 if Khairy were to contest there.