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Health
AI Accelerates Drug Design: Siddhartha Mukherjee Calls for Safeguards at HT Leadership Summit
✍️ Hindustan Times
🗓 15 Nov 2026, 07:48 AM
👁 15
At the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit, oncologist Siddhartha Mukherjee highlighted how artificial intelligence can speed up drug discovery and urged the adoption of safeguards to ensure faster, cheaper and safer clinical trials in India.
Siddhartha Mukherjee, the renowned oncologist and author, addressed the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit, stressing that artificial intelligence is reshaping the early stages of drug design. He pointed out that AI‑driven models can identify promising molecular candidates in weeks rather than years, potentially slashing development costs.
While praising the speed gains, Mukherjee warned that regulatory and ethical safeguards must evolve in tandem. He cautioned that without robust oversight, accelerated timelines could compromise patient safety and data integrity during clinical trials.
The speaker highlighted India’s unique position: a large pool of scientific talent, a growing biotech ecosystem, and cost‑effective manufacturing capabilities. He described this convergence as a historic opportunity for the country to produce medicines that are not only faster to market but also more affordable and of higher quality.
Mukherjee concluded by urging closer collaboration among government agencies, pharmaceutical firms and academic institutions to streamline trial approvals and ensure that AI‑enabled drug pipelines are both innovative and responsibly managed.
While praising the speed gains, Mukherjee warned that regulatory and ethical safeguards must evolve in tandem. He cautioned that without robust oversight, accelerated timelines could compromise patient safety and data integrity during clinical trials.
The speaker highlighted India’s unique position: a large pool of scientific talent, a growing biotech ecosystem, and cost‑effective manufacturing capabilities. He described this convergence as a historic opportunity for the country to produce medicines that are not only faster to market but also more affordable and of higher quality.
Mukherjee concluded by urging closer collaboration among government agencies, pharmaceutical firms and academic institutions to streamline trial approvals and ensure that AI‑enabled drug pipelines are both innovative and responsibly managed.