Unethical trials rock Ahmedabad hospital, raise systemic concerns

By Jag Jivan*
A serious case of unethical clinical trials has come to light at the prestigious Sheth Vadilal Sarabhai (V.S.) Hospital in Ahmedabad. According to reports, approximately 500 patients were subjected to illegal experiments (trials) by 58 pharmaceutical companies without any proper authorization.
An investigation committee, formed after a complaint from a local corporator, revealed in its report that ethics committee approval was not obtained for these trials, and patients were not adequately informed. Based on this report, the administration has suspended 8 doctors.
In response to this incident, the Swasthya Adhikar Manch (Health Rights Forum) has written to the Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, and the Drug Controller General of India. A separate letter has been sent to the Chief Secretary of Gujarat and the Principal Secretary of the Health and Family Welfare Department, demanding strict action against the responsible officials and a detailed investigation. This letter also requests a list of state hospitals, details of their ethics committees, and the number of trials conducted in Gujarat.
The Swasthya Adhikar Manch has been actively working on the issue of unethical clinical trials for the past decade. A public interest litigation on this matter is currently pending before the Honorable Supreme Court. Despite clear directives from the Supreme Court, the fact that trials were conducted at V.S. Hospital in Gujarat without establishing a registered ethics committee is shocking. This incident is a clear violation of the Drugs and Clinical Trials Rules 2019.
Amulya Nidhi of Swasthya Adhikar Manch stated that while the Honorable Supreme Court has provided crucial guidelines for protecting patients' rights in unethical clinical trials in India, such incidents are distressing. Suspending only the doctors in such a serious matter is not enough.
Jagdish Patel of Jan Swasthya Abhiyan Bharat, Gujarat Unit, has urged the Gujarat government to conduct a detailed investigation into this incident in a short timeframe. He also emphasized that the government must ensure all clinical trials adhere to regulations and that patients' rights are protected.

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*Freelance writer

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