Charges against RCC: Panel to probe all aspects

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, JULY 31. The Government has appointed the Professor of Medical Oncology at the Mumbai Tata Memorial Hospital, Dr. Purvish Parikh, to inquire into all aspects of the controversy on the use of a banned drug on patients at the Regional Cancer Centre (RCC) here.

Dr. Parikh has been asked to inquire whether a banned drug was used in clinical trials at the RCC and whether there was any violation of medical and ethical practices in respect of the clinical trial. Dr. Parikh, who is the secretary, Indian Oncology Network, will submit his report in three months.

The clinical testing of a drug developed at the Johns Hopkins University by the RCC had landed it before the State Human Rights Commission. The head of the radio-biology wing of the Centre, Dr. V. N. Bhattathiri, himself had alleged in a petition before the Commission that a group of patients had been subjected to trials that exposed them to toxicity from drugs banned by the Federal Drugs Administration of the U.S.

Media reports said that the tests were conducted without the necessary approvals and consents. Many of the patients on whom the tests were conducted were near-illiterates who could not even sign the consent properly. Thus, informed consent was absent.

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Section  : Southern States
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