Harmful drug: Govt. looking into charges: CM

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, JULY 25. ``The Government is concerned about the report regarding the testing of an allegedly harmful drug developed by the Johns Hopkins University, U.S., on patients of the Regional Cancer Centre (RCC) here. It cannot handle the matter lightly. If anyone was at fault, action would be taken,'' the Chief Minister, Mr. Antony, has said.

Talking to presspersons after a Cabinet meeting, Mr. Antony said the Government was not trying to shield anybody. The Government was examining the matter carefully and wanted to tread carefully as the reputation of the RCC was at stake.

When presspersons pointed out that while the Kerala Government sat on the issue for five months, the U.S. Government had taken prompt action in a similar issue involving the university, the Chief Minister said American methods could not be adopted in Kerala. The situation in the two countries was different. Steps would be taken to ensure that the RCC did not lose its credibility.

It is alleged that the RCC tested variants of Nor dihydro guaretic acid, which could have caused serious side effects, on unsuspecting cancer patients without proper approval and in gross disregard of norms for drugs testing. The pathologist of the RCC, Mr. V.N. Bhattathiri, himself had approached the State Human Rights Commission saying that the patients were exposed to toxicity, putting the RCC director, Dr. M. Krishnan Nair, in the dock. The U.S. Government recently suspended federal funding to the Johns Hopkins University and initiated action against the lead researcher when the administration of a chemical to a volunteer for research purposes led to her death.

Silent Valley

The Chief Minister said the revival of the Silent Valley project was not under the serious consideration of the Government. Its priority was the Pooyamkutty project.

Mr. Antony said the proportion of hydroelectric projects to thermal projects in the State was coming down. If the trend continued, the electricity tariffs would have to be raised to unbearable levels. So, the Government wanted to accord priority to hydel projects. It hoped that the Central Government and the environmentalists would adopt a helpful attitude in this matter, he said. The Government, he said, had not yet taken a decision on increasing power tariffs. The matter was under discussion.

The Chief Minister said there were no disputes between him and others in the party on KPCC matters. There was a separate set-up to decide on appointments of chairmen of corporations and boards, he said when reporters referred to the delay in making the appointments.

Mr. Antony said he would be going to Delhi on August 5 for Plan discussions scheduled for August 7. He would be in Delhi for a week.

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