Between 2007 and 2010, at least 1,730 people died in India while, or after, participating in drug trials by American, British and European drug companies.
NEW DELHI -In what could be seen as a new form of colonialism, India becomes the new testing ground for drugs for American, British and European pharmaceutical firms and according to a report on the ‘Independent’, between 2007 and 2010, at least 1,730 people died in India while, or after, participating in such trials.
In an apparent show of the Western mode of exploitation, these multinational companies have been making the most of India’s huge population and loose regulations in this regard over the last five years by which they manage to drastically cut short their expenses on research for these lucrative products which are to be sold in the West.
Ever since the restrictions on drug trials were relaxed in India, the industry has grown to a point where more than 150,000 people are involved in at least 1,600 clinical trials for the Western firms like Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Merck. Although no official data is available on the size of this exploitative industry, it is estimated to be worth as much as 189 million pounds. While the many on whom the trials were done, may have been only eligible for the studies as they were ill, the following complications, even resulting in death, are often not properly investigated.
