Date:19/08/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/08/19/stories/2008081953530400.htm

New Delhi

AIIMS refutes charges

Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI: The All-India Institute of Medical Sciences denied reports claiming that as many as 49 babies, many under a year old, died at the Institute while being subjected to clinical trials, even as the Union Health Ministry on Monday asked its director to conduct a probe into the matter.

“The report is a misrepresentation of information given by the Institute under a Right to Information query. We deny that any child died at the Institute due to negligence or because they were subjected to clinical trials for testing new drugs and therapies. The Institute follows strict procedures while carrying out trials and we ensure that all guidelines for conducting such a trial are properly followed. We have routine supervision and even minor discrepancies are investigated,” said Institute spokesperson Y. K. Gupta.