Home — Life Sciences and Medicine

In briefUnion Minister Jitendra Singh said on Saturday that India is positioned to lead the next generation of medical practices globally, as the country advances rapidly across life sciences and emerging areas of medical research and technology.

1. Addressing the first Aarogya Shikhar Samman — a Medical Investiture Ceremony organised by the Jammu and Kashmir Chapter of the International Medical Sciences Academy (IMSA) — Singh, Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office, described the current period as an exciting time for medicine. He said the emergence of new technologies is opening fresh possibilities in healthcare, but that the central challenge would be achieving an optimum balance between technology-driven practices and clinical medicine.

2. Singh said the future of medical practice would demand that artificial intelligence, genomics, quantum technologies and other emerging tools be integrated with clinical medicine. He noted that AI is already proving to be a major asset in several therapeutic and diagnostic procedures, including by reducing the time needed for cultures and facilitating gene sequencing.

3. The minister cautioned, however, that technology should not become a substitute for clinical medicine. He warned that excessive dependence on technology could erode a doctor's clinical sense, stressing that while technology-enabled options must remain available, clinical judgement must stay an essential component of patient care. He also cautioned against injudicious commercialisation in medical practice and the unnecessary prescription of investigations, saying that prescribing an avoidable investigation could undermine the trust between a doctor and a patient.

4. India's Emerging Life Sciences Landscape

5. Highlighting the breadth of transformation underway, Singh said India is now active across biotechnology, genomics, precision medicine, vaccines, nuclear medicine, nanomedicine and biomanufacturing. He referred to India's biotechnology policy, Bio E3, which covers biotechnology for environment, economy and employment, adding that biotechnology is expected to play a major role in the next industrial revolution. He also highlighted India's progress in vaccines and preventive healthcare.

6. On genomics and genetic medicine, Singh referred to the India Genome Sequence initiative and noted a successful trial for the treatment of haemophilia through a genetic approach, with the research published in the New England Journal of Medicine. He also highlighted developments in nuclear medicine, citing a successful trial in acute lymphoblastic leukaemia conducted at the Tata Institute in Mumbai.

7. On nanomedicine, Singh referred to ongoing research into nano-insulin for oral use and work on nano-bots for targeted breast-cancer nanotherapy, pointing to the possibilities emerging from the application of nanotechnology in medical treatment.

8. Research Fund and Private Sector Participation

9. Singh referred to the rollout of a Rs 1 lakh crore research, development and innovation fund, with equal contributions of 50 per cent each from the private sector and the government, describing it as an effort to catalyse private-sector participation in research and innovation. He also highlighted the expansion of India's bio-economy and growing support for life-sciences research since Prime Minister Narendra Modi took office.

10. Singh said India's capabilities have advanced to a stage where the country is conducting trials, research and innovation not only for its own needs but also for the benefit of others. He said India is now finding remedies not only for diseases originating in tropical regions but also for diseases historically reported in the West.

11. Call to Action for Jammu and Kashmir

12. Singh expressed the hope that Jammu and Kashmir would not fall behind in this transformation, given the region's potential and capabilities. He called for a change in mindset and a reorientation of approaches to medicine so that the region can participate more actively in emerging areas of clinical medicine, biotechnology and technology-driven healthcare.

13. He urged both government and non-government institutions in Jammu and Kashmir to partner in these emerging areas of medical research and innovation, noting that financial assistance, technical support, hand-holding, and infrastructure — including laboratories and facilities — are available for institutions that approach the government. Singh encouraged the medical and scientific community in the region to be more forthcoming in submitting proposals so that opportunities could be pursued on the basis of merit.

14. Among those felicitated at the ceremony were former GMC Jammu Principal Rajender Singh, former AIIMS Patna governing body member and former Professor and Head of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Indu Kaul Khoda, and former Heads of Departments of GMC Jammu.

Based on reporting by Business Standard

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