Bhopal methyl-iso-cyanate gas tragedy victims made guniea pigs for testing experimental drugs: Reports

Most of these drugs are getting tested in Bhopal gas victims for indications and uses which are not approved for by any of the drug regulating agencies in the world

Patients suffering from various ailment following exposure to methyl-iso-cyanate in the Bhopal tragedy in 1984 are being used guniea pigs to test different unapproved medicines by multinational drug firms, according to reports.

These unethical patient trials using investigative drugs which are in no way related to the conditions due to the bad effects of the toxic methyl-iso-cynate gas leakage are currently underway in the Bhopal Memorial Hospital and Research Centre (BMHRC).

The Bhopal Memorial Hospital and Research Centre, which was set up in the year 2000, with the objective to provide super-speciality treatment to the Bhopal gas tragedy survivors.

The research centre was also carrying out studies on long term effects of methyl-iso-cyanate (MIC) poisoning.

Over the years, the Bhopal Memorial Hospital and Research Centre has become a testing laboratory for various new drugs from MNCs which are in no way connected to the adverse effects of MIC gas poisoning.

Instead of encouraging new therapies which could alleviate their suffering, the unsuspecting victims of the Bhopal MIC disaster, are being expoited as testing animals for untested drugs with unknown effects, reports alleged.

In places like Bhopal, which are considered disaster areas, the medical research should be aimed at developing solutions to effectively deal with the problems resulting from the event and similar such events in future and not drug studies that are non-specific to the event.

Reports also alleged that the trials of the medicines with unknown efficacy and side-effects are often conducted on patients non-professional manner. The standard practice guidelines for clinical trials set by the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) — the apex policy making body under the government of India –does not allow mixing medical care with clinical studies.

If an investigative medicine is given to the patient the the investigator physicial should inform the patient about the possible effects and side-effects of the drug to the patient. In certain cases where in the patient is too illiterate to make an informed decision the “informed consent” from the patient should be obtained by a third party such as a neutral, independent physician or in the presence of an NGO.

ICMR code of conduct in clinical trials also restrict the studies using new drugs in patient popuations with reduced autonomy. The patients should be free to decide on the drugs to be administered on them by the medical practitioners.

However, in the case of hapless Bhopal gas victims they have no autonomy to decide on and acnnot deny the drugs prescribed by the doctor as these patients are totally depended on the treatment provided by the Bhopal Memorial Hospital and Research Centre (BMHRC).