Around 2,000 people who underwent clinical trials in India have died since 2008
Coming down heavily on Centre’s inaction in the illegal clinical trials in the country, the Supreme Court on March 26 said that the government must take corrective action.
The bench comprising of justice R M Lodha and H L Gokhale asked the Centre and the Medical Council of India (MCI) to file responses on the matter within six weeks. It noted that people are dying and that is most unfortunate.
The court was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL), filed by Anand Rai from Indore in Madhya Pradesh. He along with other petitioners contended that unethical clinical trials are being conducted on poor people including children. He points out that 2,000 people who underwent clinical trials have died since 2008 in India. The next hearing on the case will be held on July 13.
Meanwhile, the victims and the families of people who died after undergoing clinical trials in Indore have formed a Clinical Trials Victims Association. “The launch of the association will happen soon,” says Rai.
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