Indonesia Eyes Bigger Role as Global Clinical Trial Hub

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta – Indonesia is opening wider opportunities to serve as a site for drug clinical trials at the Asian and global levels, with the Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM) identifying ABG collaboration -- academia, business, and government -- as the key to achieving that goal.

BPOM Head Taruna Ikrar said Indonesia has an ecosystem that supports clinical trial implementation through ABG collaboration.

“From the academic perspective, we have 1,416 universities in Indonesia. This represents enormous potential,” Taruna said during a visit by PT Equilab Internasional to BPOM’s headquarters in Jakarta on Thursday, September 10, 2026, as quoted on BPOM’s official website.

From the industry side, Indonesia has more than 270 pharmaceutical companies. Meanwhile, BPOM operates 117 units at the central and regional levels to support governance and regulatory functions.

Taruna said the interconnectedness of these three elements is key to expanding clinical trial activity in Indonesia. The government is also promoting the enhancement, development, and facilitation of clinical trials, particularly for new pharmaceutical products.

Meanwhile, Director of the Global Clinical Trials Cooperation Center at Korea’s National Enterprise for Clinical Trials (KoNECT), Kelly Han, described Indonesia as a strategic partner for South Korea. She said the meeting was an opportunity to deepen understanding of Indonesia’s clinical trial regulations and landscape.

“We [KoNECT] are a public organization engaged in the clinical trials sector under the Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare. Our mission is to strengthen Korea’s clinical trial capabilities and support global clinical development,” Han said.

Collaboration between BPOM and KoNECT is expected to strengthen Indonesia’s position as a clinical trial site for Korean pharmaceutical companies. Indonesia’s advantages include its large and diverse population, the expertise of its researchers, and the capacity of its research centers.

This cooperation also opens opportunities to apply reliance mechanisms in clinical trials and enhance capacity through the exchange of knowledge and regulatory insights. These efforts are expected to expand clinical trial activity in Indonesia while supporting the development of new drugs. ***