MEDICAL RESEARCH

1,100 patients in clinical trails have died in the last four years. Eighty-eight of these deaths were caused by direct side effects of the trial drug, according to data submitted in the Rajya Sabha.

10 deaths were reported in TS.

■ Guidelines for the trials are now more stringent and the role of the ethics panel has been strengthened after the accreditation process.

■ Most of the trials are being carried out to test new molecules for the treatment of cancer, particularly breast and lung cancer.

■ Volunteers for diseases such as hypertension and diabetes get compensated with travel allowance and food vouchers. But cancer patients are given compensation based on the agreement.

■ There are very few clinical trials carried out on children for vaccines and paediatric medicines in Telangana, but there are not many volunteers for the same.

■ Non-government organisations allege that participation has increased in terms of number of volunteers but the compensation for participation has reduced.