NEW DELHI From an all time low of 17 clinical trials approved by the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) in 2013, the number has slowly increased to 97 in 2017, a more than 400% jump in five years.
Regulators and domain experts attribute the revival to introduction of scientific and balanced guidelines that suit all stakeholders. Activists, however, feel India is far from a watertight system when it comes to monitoring the trials.
But the jump in numbers is nowhere close to the pre-2013 period. For example, in 2012, the DCGI approved 253 trials, in 2011, the number stood at 283 and in 2010 at 529. We are seeing some parity being restored, said Suneela Thatte, board member of the Indian Society of Clinical Research, a clinical research professionals association.
In February 2012, a PIL plea filed by the Swasthya Adhikar Manch in the Supreme Court raised an alert over many irregularities in clinical trials, including lack of consent and compensation to the patients referred to as subjects. Around the same time, the 59th Parliamentary Committee report stated that there was a strong nexus between drug makers, doctors and some government regulators. In January 2013, a gazette notification by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare determining the eligibility for compensation eventually led to many drug makers hunting for other locations for trials. The clause of compensation was open to misuse and could act as an inducement for participation in the trial as it called for free medical management in terms of injury to the clinical trial subject. There was no distinction made between study related injury or non-related injury, said Ms. Thatte, adding that approval time of clinical trials would also take extremely long.
According to DCGI Dr. S. Eswara Reddy there were many other clauses that were brought in: like investigators could not undertake more than three trials, to be conducted only in government hospitals, the site of trials should be 50-bed hospitals, etc. Gradually, we have begun harmonizing the clinical trial environment as per international standards, Dr. Reddy said, adding that now 50% of the trials can be conducted in private hospitals, there is no restriction of three trials per investigator and a formula for calculating financial compensation has been derived.
Follow this link to join our WhatsApp group: Join Now
Be Part of Quality Journalism |
Quality journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce and despite all the hardships we still do it. Our reporters and editors are working overtime in Kashmir and beyond to cover what you care about, break big stories, and expose injustices that can change lives. Today more people are reading Kashmir Observer than ever, but only a handful are paying while advertising revenues are falling fast. |
| ACT NOW |
| MONTHLY | Rs 100 |  |
| YEARLY | Rs 1000 | |
| LIFETIME | Rs 10000 | |
