SC frowns on unethical drug trials
4 Jan 2013 6:09 AM IST
Pulling up the central government for slipping into deep slumber in uncontrolled clinical trial of drugs on humans, the Supreme Court on Thursday said that till the further order from it, all drug trials will be done under the supervision of the Union Health Secretary.
Slamming the central government for failing to stop the rackets which has caused deaths, a bench comprising of Justices RM Lodha and AR Dave said that uncontrolled clinical trial of drugs on humans by multinational companies was creating havoc in the country.
It said that the government has failed to put in place proper mechanisms to stop rackets of multinational companies, which are conducting illegal clinical trials, and asked it handle the problem on an urgent basis.
'You have to protect health of citizens of the country. It is your obligation. Deaths must be arrested and illegal trials must be stayed,' said the court.
‘You have slipped into deep slumber. It pains us that children of the country are being uses as guinea pigs by the companies. You do not have even respect of the Parliamentary Committee which has said that the companies are running racket and you are showing just draft rules,' the bench said when the Additional Solicitor General Siddhath Luthra contended that the central government is considering to frame rules.
'Uncontrolled clinical trial is creating havoc in country. There has to be some semblance of responsibility on your part,' the bench said.
The court was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL), filed by NGO Swasthya Adhikar Manch, alleging large-scale clinical drug trials across the country by various pharmaceutical firms using Indian citizens as guinea pigs in those tests. The NGO had alleged that the clinical trials by several pharmaceutical companies were going on indiscriminately in various states.
Slamming the central government for failing to stop the rackets which has caused deaths, a bench comprising of Justices RM Lodha and AR Dave said that uncontrolled clinical trial of drugs on humans by multinational companies was creating havoc in the country.
It said that the government has failed to put in place proper mechanisms to stop rackets of multinational companies, which are conducting illegal clinical trials, and asked it handle the problem on an urgent basis.
'You have to protect health of citizens of the country. It is your obligation. Deaths must be arrested and illegal trials must be stayed,' said the court.
‘You have slipped into deep slumber. It pains us that children of the country are being uses as guinea pigs by the companies. You do not have even respect of the Parliamentary Committee which has said that the companies are running racket and you are showing just draft rules,' the bench said when the Additional Solicitor General Siddhath Luthra contended that the central government is considering to frame rules.
'Uncontrolled clinical trial is creating havoc in country. There has to be some semblance of responsibility on your part,' the bench said.
The court was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL), filed by NGO Swasthya Adhikar Manch, alleging large-scale clinical drug trials across the country by various pharmaceutical firms using Indian citizens as guinea pigs in those tests. The NGO had alleged that the clinical trials by several pharmaceutical companies were going on indiscriminately in various states.
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