Charge sheet served on 12 MP doctors involved in drug trials

BHOPAL: The Madhya Pradesh government has served charge sheet on twelve doctors allegedly involved in drug trials against whom legal action would be taken if they were found guilty, the state Assembly was told here today.

Replying to a question from Pratap Grewal (Congress) on drug trials, Madhya Pradesh Minister of State for Health, Mahendra Hardia said the matter is being raised in the House for a long time.

He said that Indore's Chief Medical and Health Officer has sent a preliminary probe report on unethical drug trials being carried out in private hospitals, nursing homes and research centres, with his recommendations to the State Health Commissioner.

On the basis of these recommendations, the state government has served charge sheets on 12 MP doctors.

The Minister is his written reply to Grewal's query also informed that despite giving charge sheet to these doctors it has not cancelled their registrations as only the Madhya Pradesh Medical Council is vested with the power to do so.

The Medical Council has also served notices to these doctors and conducted a probe in the matter. According to the doctors, they have conducted the trials after getting approval from the Drug Controller of India under the Schedule Y of the Drug Cosmetic Rules 1945 amended in 2005.

Under the rule, it was mandatory for them to keep the data secured and maintain confidentiality in the matter.

Hardia also informed the House that the State Medical Council had also written letters on December 30, 2011, and February 25, 2012, to the Drug Controller General of India with a request to issue directives for probing the matter.