Drug deals: 8 doctors, 50+ pharma firms under microscope for unauthorised trials at Ahmedabad hospital

Eight doctors and an associate professor allegedly collaborated with over 50 pharmaceutical companies to carry out unauthorised drug trials on patients at V S Hospital, run by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC), since 2021, a preliminary inquiry by a five-member committee has found, reported TOI.

The trials, conducted without approval, reportedly involved patients suffering from autoimmune diseases, rabies, skin conditions and other ailments. A committee member said the pharmaceutical companies directly transferred payments into the personal bank accounts of the doctors involved.

The AMC has suspended associate professor Dr Devang Rana along with the eight contracted doctors named in the probe.

“No ethical committee was established according to National Medical Commission and Drug Controller of India regulations during the tenure of the then superintendent,” said deputy municipal commissioner Bharat Parmar at a press conference on Saturday.

According to TOI, the matter came to light after Congress corporator Rajshree Kesari filed a complaint in February.

Committee member Dr Supriya Malhotra said clinical research had been underway at the hospital for the last four years, with an estimated 57 to 58 companies conducting drug trials. In January 2019, AMC had set up the 1,600-bed SVP Hospital, worth ₹800 crore, on the VS Hospital campus.