Collaborate

Institutions and investigators who wish to be considered for participation are invited to submit an expression of interest. Submission does not create any obligation on either party and does not imply selection. The information provided will be used to assess potential fit for current and future studies.

Support for Investigators and Participating Sites

The Foundation recognizes that high-quality research depends on well-prepared and well-supported sites. Subject to the design of each study and to applicable requirements, the following forms of support may be made available to participating investigators and institutions.

• Good Clinical Practice training for investigators and site staff.

• Protocol training specific to each study.

• Investigator meetings to align on objectives, procedures, and standards.

• Site start-up support, including documentation and readiness activities.

• Operations support during the conduct of the study.

• Monitoring support consistent with a risk-based approach.

• Regulatory guidance relevant to the applicable jurisdiction.

• Data management systems for structured, auditable data collection.

• Technology platforms for electronic data capture, patient-reported outcomes, and remote follow-up.

• Quality oversight programs to support consistent conduct across sites.

• Study coordination assistance, including central coordination for multi-center studies.

Where studies involve grants or reimbursements to sites or investigators, these would be provided in accordance with applicable regulations, ethics committee requirements, institutional requirements, and fair-market-value principles, consistent with the practices established for global clinical trials in modern medicine. Support is provided to enable rigorous research and is not contingent on any particular finding.

Site Qualification Process

The Foundation anticipates a structured pathway for bringing a site into a study. The pathway is designed to be transparent and proportionate, confirming that each site has the capability, the personnel, and the training needed to conduct research to the required standard. The stages below describe the anticipated process; specific requirements will depend on the study.

• Expression of Interest. An institution or investigator submits initial information indicating interest and relevant experience.

• Feasibility Assessment. The Foundation and the site assess whether the site's patient population, resources, and timelines fit the study.

• Site Capability Review. Review of facilities, equipment, data infrastructure, and quality systems relevant to the study.

• Investigator Evaluation. Review of the qualifications, experience, and availability of the proposed principal investigator and key staff.

• Training Qualification. Completion of Good Clinical Practice and protocol-specific training by relevant personnel.

• Site Activation. Formal confirmation, once approvals and agreements are in place, that the site may begin enrollment.

Why Participate

Participation in this initiative offers institutions and investigators the opportunity to contribute to a credible, independent evidence base in a field that has long needed rigorous study. The following describe the nature of that opportunity. They are stated as professional and scientific benefits, and are not intended as inducements.

• Contribution to global evidence generation on questions of wide scientific and public health interest.

• Research capacity building within participating institutions through training, systems, and experience.

• Professional development for investigators and research staff.

• Scientific collaboration across institutions, disciplines, and countries.

• Academic networking within a multi-center research community.

• Publication opportunities arising from participation, subject to the Foundation's publication policy and standard authorship criteria.

• Participation in multi-center initiatives that extend the reach and relevance of individual sites.

• Knowledge sharing across the network on methods, tools, and lessons learned.

A Special Invitation to Indian Ayurvedic, Integrative, and Conventional Medicine Sites

India occupies a distinctive position in this initiative. It combines a living tradition of Ayurveda and other systems of medicine with a large and capable modern healthcare and research infrastructure. This combination gives Indian institutions an opportunity to contribute to globally relevant evidence generation while upholding contemporary scientific standards. The Foundation extends a specific invitation to institutions across the Indian healthcare and academic landscape.

• Ayurvedic hospitals with clinical volume and an interest in structured research.

• Ayurveda colleges with teaching and research capacity.

• Ayurvedic clinics engaged in day-to-day patient care.

• Integrative medicine clinics that combine traditional and conventional approaches.

• Corporate hospitals and multi-specialty hospital systems.

• Medical colleges and their affiliated teaching hospitals.

• Specialty clinics with relevant patient populations.

• Research institutions and dedicated clinical research centers.

Studies conducted in India would be designed and registered in compliance with the New Drugs and Clinical Trials Rules, 2019, applicable guidance from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation and the Ministry of AYUSH, and the National Ethical Guidelines of the Indian Council of Medical Research, with registration on the Clinical Trials Registry of India and review by a registered ethics committee. Participation allows Indian institutions to help ensure that evidence on traditional and integrative interventions is generated to a standard that is recognized internationally, with Indian investigators contributing as full scientific partners.

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Get in touch with us at Collaborate@ApothecariesFoundation.org if you wish to collaborate.