In News:

The Department of Health Research (DHR) has released the Draft National Health Research Policy, 2026 for public consultation. The policy proposes a comprehensive overhaul of India's health research ecosystem to align research with the country's disease burden, strengthen innovation, and improve evidence-based policymaking.

Health Research in India

Health research in India covers biomedical sciences, clinical medicine, public health, epidemiology, digital health, health systems, behavioural sciences, and emerging technologies. It supports:

• Understanding disease patterns and health burden.
• Development of vaccines, diagnostics and medicines.
• Evidence-based policymaking.
• Improved healthcare delivery.
• Preparedness for future public health emergencies.

Major institutions driving health research include the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Department of Health Research (DHR), AIIMS, and the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), Hyderabad.

The existing National Health Research Policy was introduced in 2011, and the 2026 draft seeks to modernise the framework.

Why is a New Policy Needed?

Despite significant scientific capability, India's health research ecosystem faces several challenges:

• Low public investment, with expenditure at only 0.024% of GDP, compared to the 0.27% weighted average in high-income countries.
• Regional disparities, with research concentrated in a few institutions and states.
• Fragmented research efforts and weak coordination among academia, hospitals, industry and government.
• Research priorities not adequately aligned with India's disease burden and public health needs.
• Slow translation of research findings into healthcare delivery and policy.
• Limited collaboration with the private sector and inadequate community participation.

Key Proposals of the Draft Policy

Enhanced Research Funding

The policy proposes a phased increase in government spending on health research:

• Current: 0.024% of GDP
• By 2037: 0.072% of GDP
• By 2047: 0.15% of GDP

National Health Research Agenda

A National Health Research Agenda will identify priority areas based on:

• Disease burden.
• Emerging health threats.
• Health system requirements.
• Equity concerns.
• Pandemic preparedness.
• Strategic national priorities.

Priority Research Areas

The draft identifies major focus areas, including:

• Tuberculosis (TB)
• Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)
• Vector-borne diseases
• Cancer
• Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs)
• Mental health
• Anaemia
• Child malnutrition
• Women's health
• Maternal and neonatal mortality
• Primary healthcare
• Emergency care

Three-Tier Governance Structure

The policy proposes:

• National Health Research Stewardship Committee for strategic oversight.
• Department of Health Research (DHR) as the nodal implementing agency.
• Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) as the scientific and technical lead.

States will also be encouraged to integrate research into local health programmes and formulate State Health Research Agendas.

Outcome-Based Evaluation

Researchers will increasingly be evaluated based on the real-world impact of their work rather than the number of publications or grants.

The policy expands the use of the ICMR Impact of Research and Innovation Scale (ICMR-IRIS), introduced in 2025, to assess contributions to policy, healthcare delivery, institutional capacity and population health.

Strengthening Research Governance

The draft proposes:

• Simplified ethics approvals for multicentre studies.
• Establishment of a National Research Integrity Office (NRIO).
• Responsible use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in health research.
• Shared access to laboratories, biobanks and other publicly funded research infrastructure.

Greater Role for States and Private Sector

The policy seeks to:

• Strengthen research capacity in medical colleges.
• Encourage participation by private hospitals, startups and industry.
• Promote collaboration among researchers, policymakers and healthcare providers.
• Mobilise funding through industry, philanthropy and CSR initiatives.

Significance

The Draft National Health Research Policy, 2026 represents India's first unified framework covering the entire health research ecosystem. By increasing investment, improving coordination, prioritising public health needs and focusing on measurable outcomes, the policy aims to build a more equitable, innovation-driven and evidence-based health research system capable of addressing current and future health challenges.