---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Anisa Rahim <[email protected]> Date: 19 March 2012 17:49 Subject: PRESS RELEASE: The Supreme Court Issues Notices in Public Interest Litigation (PIL) Regarding Unethical Clinical Drug Trials To: [email protected]
*The Supreme Court Issues Notices in Public Interest Litigation (PIL) Regarding Unethical Clinical Drug Trials* DELHI-Today the Indian Supreme Court issued notices to the state and central health ministries, the DCGI, and the Dean of MGM Medical College in a Public Interest Litigation, Dr. *Anand Rai and Ors. vs. State of Madhya Pradesh and Ors.*, W.P. 79 of 2012, filed by the Human Rights Law Network. After filing numerous Right to Information Applications, whistleblower Dr. Anand Rai has amassed extensive documentation revealing that gov't doctors are carrying out unethical drugs trials on adivasis, Dalits, persons living with mental illness, and juveniles since 2005 at Maharaja Yashwant Rao Hospital in Indore. The doctors involved are paid large sums to carry out clinical trials for multinational companies including Wyeth, Quintiles, Lilly, Amgen, Bayer, Bristol Mayer, Sanofi, PPD, and Pfizer. Despite Gov't reports, including that of the State Bureau of Economic Offences Wing, which acknowledge the unethical nature of these trials due to lack of informed consent; convoluted formation of ethics committees that fail to monitor or supervise and where conflicts of interests abound; absence of disciplinary action against the doctors involved; and the inadequate inquiry and compensation of affected persons, the State and Central Gov't have failed to take any meaningful action on this matter. Indeed, since 2005 when the Drugs and Cosmetics was amended, India has become a popular destination for clinical trials. Through Gov't failure to enforce the Central Drug Standard Organization's Clinical Good Practices Guidelines as well as the Helsinki Declaration of which India is a signatory, poor persons seeking medical attention have become guinea pigs for clinical trials throughout the country. This petition sets forth the urgent need for an independent inquiry and assessment of the numbers of affected victims, the provision of proper compensation, the issuance of stringent Guidelines, and a revision of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act that has encouraged clinical trials to take place in this manner, and largely for drugs that are of little benefit to ordinary persons in India. * About the Petitioners:* *Dr. Anand Rai*, a local doctor and health activist who worked as a government doctor in MGM Hospital and witnessed clinical trials being conducted on vulnerable populations; *Dr. Anand Singh Raje* of Swasthya Samarpan Seva Samiti, a registered NGO of doctors dedicated to providing free health services to the poor through health camps in slum and rural areas; *Ajay Naik,* father of victim of infant Yatharth Naik who has suffered white permanent marks as a result of a clinical drug trial; *Hazzani Anwar Bee*, widow of Hazi Abdul Rasheed whose husband underwent a drug trial and died shortly thereafter. *The Human Rights Law Network (HRLN) is a collective of lawyers and social activists dedicated to the use of the legal system to advance human rights in India and the sub-continent. To learn more visit hrln.org.* *Contact:* Sanjai Sharma, HRLN Phone: 24374501 Dr. Anand Rai Mobile: 9827566177 -- Anisa Rahim Human Rights Law Network http://www.hrln.org/hrln/ 576 Masjid Road Jangpura, New Delhi110014 -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Mental Health Advocacy (News 'N Views) India" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/MhaNewsViewsIndia?hl=en ------------- Affiliated Groups : MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCACY INDIA [email protected] Discussions on mental health law / policy / plan monitoring / human rights etc [email protected] India-specific news and views related to mental health [email protected] Information and support to carers of people with mental health issues [email protected] Mutual support and sharing of experiential knowledge, skills and social learning amongst peers
