Event highlights
Stakeholders from Indonesia and partners from the Western Pacific Region convened on 13 November 2025 in Jakarta to accelerate efforts to strengthen the national clinical trial ecosystem. Representatives from the Ministry of Health, the National Research and Innovation Agency, the Indonesian Food and Drug Authority, universities, hospitals, patient groups and industry partners attended the workshop organized by the Indonesia Clinical Research Centre with support from WHO.
Clinical research activity in Indonesia has expanded over the past 15 years, growing by 83% to 66 trials in 2024. While many trials continue to be single-country, academically led, and small-scale (between 10-100 participants), the country is determined to address legacy system factors, create policy enablers, level up capacity-building efforts and investment to strengthen its clinical trial ecosystem.
Presenters shared lessons from the Region, including Malaysia’s Phase 1 trial readiness initiatives, opportunities for streamlined ethics review processes and the integration of research into clinical care. Discussions also explored how WHO’s global frameworks and guidance can support Indonesia’s aspiration to increase participation in high-quality multi-country clinical trials, particularly those addressing high-burden diseases and underrepresented populations.
Key actions identified for 2026-2027 include enhancing trial registries, expanding the clinical trial workforce, piloting the WHO clinical trial unit maturity framework and broadening studies throughout key disease areas.
Together, these efforts aim to advance a robust, ethical, and sustainable clinical trial ecosystem that delivers meaningful benefits for patients and communities across Indonesia and the Western Pacific Region.