Aurobindo Pharma uses Dalits as guinea pigs

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Hyderabad: City pharma firm uses Dalits as guinea pigs

Santhagudipadu (Guntur), Jan. 15: A Hyderabad-based pharmaceutical

company has been using Dalit youth from Santagudipadu village of

Rompicherla mandal to test its anti-diabetic drug Metformin. Police

and district drug control authorities are now waiting for the

Hyderabad-based Aurobindo Pharma, which has told them that it has

the required clearances, to send the licence for the bio-equivalence

tests.

Almost all drugs need human trials before they can be approved for

use. The big question is about pharma companies using for their

trials, dispossessed youth who may not really understand their

rights. The Dalit youth who were picked for the Aurobindo trials all

said they went in for the money.

Police arrested Murali Krishna, who helped the company rope in the

youth to test the drug. Murali, an LIC agent, lured the unemployed

youth promising them good money. Accordingly, a group of youth was

taken to Aurobindo Pharmaceuticals in Hyderabad, where " eligible "

candidates were chosen after blood tests. The chosen youth are being

subjected to tests of the drug. Murali told the police that it was

just a bio-availability test or bio-equivalent test, which caused no

danger.

The pharma company is conducting the tests in two phases and has

promised to pay Rs 3,000-Rs 5,000 to each volunteer, apart from

bearing the expenses of their stay. Of course, the youth will have

to pay Rs 500 to the broker. adversely, they would be paid a hefty

compensation. Sagar and Kadiyala, tribal youth who volunteered for

the tests, were sent back after a blood test. " We went just for the

money, " they said.

Gudibandla Srinu, a young man from barber community, said he

volunteered since he wanted to repair his barber shop with the

money. The villagers were perturbed by the absence of youth for

cultivation works, and got to know the truth after questioning their

friends. After the villagers complained, Rompicherla Sub-Inspector

Adinarayana took Murali into custody. The pharma company then sent a

fax message to the police giving proof of the consent given by the

youth for the tests.

Narsaraopet Deputy Superintendent of Police Harikrishna said it was

not clear under what authority the company was conducting tests on

human beings. District Medical and Health Officer Sonar Babu told

Deccan Chronicle that it was against medical ethics as well as the

law. Babu, who got in touch with the authorities in the pharma

company, was told by them that they had only tested a drug called

Metformin on the Santhagudipadu youth. " The test was meant to record

the effect of the drug on sugar levels and is not dangerous, " he

said. " However, I asked them to send me the details of the licence

obtained from the central drug agency. "

On Thursday last, he spoke to one Varaprasad Reddy who said that he

could fax the 60-page permit that the company has acquired. The

next day being a holiday, Sonar Babu wanted the company to send over

by courier. He has still not received the documents. The document he

is looking for is the licence from the Central and Provincial Drug

Control Authority based in New Delhi.

The DMHO said he was satisfied with the answer of the company that

Metformin was not hazardous. He has deferred an inquiry till he gets

the documents. However, investigations by Deccan Chronicle revealed

that such tests on humans were not uncommon in the Palnadu area.

Continuous drought, lack of farm labour and severe unemployment have

often forced youth to volunteer to become guinea pigs for pharma

companies. According to experts, pharma companies should get clear

permission from central and provincial drug control authorities and

maintain total transparency while conducting drug tests.

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