Malaysia is an ideal clinical trial site due to the existence of an adequate and efficient healthcare system with a strong pool of highly qualified medical professionals, said Health Ministry secretary-general Dr Chen Chaw Min.

Chen (above) said consistent start-up timeline, competitive trial cost and strong commitment from the government which ensured the quality and integrity of clinical trials in the country were also among the contributing factors.

Furthermore, the multiracial population in Malaysia which has genome variations also one of the advantages for clinical trials, he said.

"Encouraging a strong clinical trial ecosystem at the national level contributes to the transfer of knowledge and technologies, creates new jobs in clinical research, spurs local innovation, prevents investment outflow and moves a country as a whole higher up the clinical research value chain.

"Additionally, it provides a means for the government to expand its healthcare resources to include more patients and medications especially in specialities where treatment is costly such as in oncology and rare diseases," he told reporters after launching the 'I AM AWARE' Photography Series, which is the brainchild of Clinical Research Malaysia (CRM), here today.

Also present was CRM acting head of Business Development Audrey Ooi.

Chen said there was a need to create awareness for clinical trials as the rate was rather low in Malaysia compared to the US.

Sharing the comparison, he said in a population of one million there were eight clinical trials, while in the US there were over 400 clinical trials in per million population.

He said clinical trials were the cornerstone of medical science advancement and the gateway for new and better treatment modalities.

"Clinical trials which are largely funded by global pharmaceutical, medical device and biotechnology companies bring various innovative treatment options to clinical trial participants," he said.

Chen added that patients who participate in clinical trials receive either a promising new treatment or the best available conventional treatment.

"Especially in the area of cancer treatment, clinical trials have been proven to offer some of the most effective cancer treatments currently available today," he said.

Therefore, Chen said awareness on clinical trials needed to be further improved in the country through various I AM AWARE campaigns by CRM.

"The campaign portrays real-life clinical trial participants who share their knowledge and life journey before and after participating in a clinical trial," he said.

- Bernama