WHAT ARE CLINICAL TRIALS?

Clinical trials are usually done to test safety and effects of new drugs, dosages and ways of administration to help improve public health

THE NEW RULES

FEB 2018: New rules come into effect. Clauses such as restricting one investigator to three trials, audio-visual reporting and only allowing hospitals with 50 beds to conduct trials lifted. Experts say this paved the way for poorer regulation and more corruption in the process.

COMPENSATION ISSUES

Deaths of volunteers Deaths directly linked to trials COMPENSATION TO VOLUNTEERS/FAMILIES Only in 2015 did families of all 18 participants get compensation. In 2016, 25 of 27 were compensated; it fell to 18 of 30 deaths in 2017, and to just one of the 13 deaths in 2018.