NEW DELHI: India is producing more health research than ever, with digital health, artificial intelligence and new models of care expanding the country’s research landscape. Yet a crucial question remains: How much of that evidence actually reaches the patient?
This question will be discussed threadbare at the BMJ Research Forum South Asia 2026, which will bring researchers, clinicians, policymakers and healthcare leaders together in the national capital on September 5 to examine how scientific evidence can be translated into better healthcare.
The forum, convened by BMJ, will focus on the often difficult journey from a research paper or dataset to a change in clinical practice, a health programme or a government policy.
Major General (Prof) Dr Atul Kotwal, ICMR-Dr A S Paintal Distinguished Scientist Chair and President, IAPSM, will deliver the keynote address on “Translating Evidence into Health System Impact: Building the Foundations for Policy, Programmes and Practice”.
Dr Kamran Abbasi, Editor-in-Chief, The BMJ, will open the forum which will bring together several prominent voices from India’s health and research ecosystem, including Dr Soumya Swaminathan, Chair, M S Swaminathan Research Foundation and former Chief Scientist, WHO, Padma Shri Dr Abhay Bang, Co-founder, SEARCH, Professor (Dr) Narendra Kumar Arora, Chief Scientist and Mentor, The INCLEN Trust International and President, AIIMS Bilaspur, and Dr Upasana Arora, Managing Director, Yashoda Group of Hospitals.
Senior representatives from institutions including ICMR, AIIMS, NABH, Koita Foundation and other healthcare and research organisations are also expected to participate.
One of the key sessions will examine why promising research often struggles to move beyond academic publications. The discussion, “Translating research into practice: institutional pathways to real-world impact in India”, will explore how institutional culture, governance, collaboration and implementation science can help overcome barriers to adoption.
Another session, “From evidence to implementation: An Indian research-to-policy journey”, will look at how research findings can influence clinical guidelines, government policies and healthcare delivery.
The forum will also place patients and communities at the heart of the research conversation. A “Community Voice Panel: Nothing About Us Without Us” will discuss how patients and communities can have a greater say in deciding research priorities and shaping how studies are designed and conducted.
Artificial intelligence, meanwhile, will be examined not only as a technological opportunity but also through the lens of ethics and accountability.
The session “AI and the Future of Health Research: Opportunity, Risk and Responsibility”, led by Rizwan Koita, will explore the expanding use of AI in health research while addressing concerns around transparency, scientific integrity, ethics and public trust.
“India has no shortage of research or research talent. The bigger opportunity is to close the gap between evidence and implementation. The real measure of research success is whether it changes clinical practice, informs policy or improves outcomes for patients,” said Dr Prashant Mishra, Managing Director, BMJ India & South Asia.
The forum will also provide a platform for emerging researchers through an abstract spotlight session and poster competition. Five top-rated abstracts will be presented as short talks, with outstanding abstracts and posters recognised during the closing plenary.
Seventh edition of the BMJ Awards South Asia 2026 will also be announced, recognising individuals and healthcare teams for contributions across patient care, research, medical education, innovation, sustainability and healthcare leadership.
