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Indian biotech & pharma sectors adopt virtual transformation as cloud-powered trials redefine clinical research
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Nandita Vijayasimha, Bengaluru
August 26 , 2025
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Indian biotech and pharma industries are looking for more efficient, accessible, and resilient operations. This shift is driven by the strategic integration of virtual environments, cloud computing, and advanced security solution like Zero Trust, said Vijender Yadav, co-founder and CEO, Accops, a digital workspace solution provider.
It is a complete reimagining of how clinical trials are conducted, critical patient data, specifically Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) is stored, accessed and protected. This transformation will define patient care for years to come, he added.
The pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries are leading this change. Traditional clinical trial models, often limited by geography, manual processes, and fragmented data, are giving way to agile, distributed, and data-intensive operations. Virtual environments, built on robust cloud infrastructure, are proving to be the key enabler, Yadav told Pharmabiz.
For instance, in clinical trials researchers, clinicians, and data analysts, regardless of location, can securely access and collaborate on patient data, protocols, and analytical applications in real-time. The key advantages to this are accelerated global collaboration. This expands the pool of participants and investigators, especially vital for multi-site studies or rare disease research, he said.
There is also improved data sovereignty and compliance. Patient data is the most sensitive information. In virtual setups, data resides solely in central, secure data centres or the cloud. This significantly reduces data loss risks from stolen or compromised devices and simplifies adherence to strict regulations, including India's Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDP Act) and the IT Act, 2000.
Further, digital workspaces enforce a consistent, controlled environment, ensuring all applications, data access, and operational workflows are identical across the entire trial, minimising errors and bolstering data integrity. Furthermore, virtual environments support compliance with global regulations, like 21 CFR Part 11 and EMA Annex 11, which require audit trails, electronic signatures, and system validation, he said.
Cloud-powered virtual environments enable on-demand scalability, provide computing power and storage precisely when needed, eliminating substantial upfront hardware investments. New clinical trial applications or critical updates can be deployed instantly across all digital workspaces, ensuring personnel always work with the latest tools and protocols, said Yadav.
Beyond clinical trials, secure and immediate access to EMRs (electronic medical records) is crucial for effective patient care. Healthcare professionals need instant access to comprehensive patient histories, diagnostic images, and treatment plans, whether on-site or during remote consultations. Virtual environments facilitate this critical access with the highest data confidentiality. This is why the Zero Trust security model is not merely advantageous, but indispensable, he said.
In healthcare, Zero Trust translates into micro-segmented access control, continuous risk-based verification, reduced attack with proactive threat detection and built-in regulatory alignment with not just with India’s DPDP Act, but also with global frameworks like HIPAA and GDPR, crucial for clinical research and pharmaceutical firms conducting cross-border trials.
The fusion of virtual environments, cloud computing, and Zero Trust security is an immediate operational reality for healthcare. For the Indian pharmaceutical and biotech industry, adopting these integrated approaches is crucial for accelerating research, enhancing patient care outcomes, and unequivocally safeguarding sensitive health information, said Yadav.
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