Johns Hopkins admits scientist used Indian patients as guinea pigs
BMJ 2001; 323 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.323.7323.1204b (Published 24 November 2001) Cite this as: BMJ 2001;323:1204All rapid responses
Rapid responses are electronic comments to the editor. They enable our users to debate issues raised in articles published on bmj.com. A rapid response is first posted online. If you need the URL (web address) of an individual response, simply click on the response headline and copy the URL from the browser window. A proportion of responses will, after editing, be published online and in the print journal as letters, which are indexed in PubMed. Rapid responses are not indexed in PubMed and they are not journal articles. The BMJ reserves the right to remove responses which are being wilfully misrepresented as published articles or when it is brought to our attention that a response spreads misinformation.
From March 2022, the word limit for rapid responses will be 600 words not including references and author details. We will no longer post responses that exceed this limit.
The word limit for letters selected from posted responses remains 300 words.
To Whom it may concern,
The assumption behind this article was that the safety of anti-cancer
drugs can be established through animal tests.
This assumption has been shown to be highly dubious by Hugh
LaFollette and Nial Shanks' _Brute Science_ and Ray and
Jean Greek's _Sacred Cows and Golden Geese_, as well as other work.
Unfortunately, little serious criticism of these books has been developed:
there is no defense of animal research that is comparable in quality and
scholarship.
Some discussion of this topic emerged in response to Richard Smith's
"Animal research: the need for a middle ground" (BMJ 2001; 322: 248-249).
I would encourage the journal to foster more serious discussion of the
epistemology of animal research. Most of the ethical debates presuppose
that humans benefit greatly from the practice; recognizing that this is
not the case should change the character and tone of the ethical debates
for the better.
Competing interests: No competing interests
Sir, One is very likely to be outraged by the happenings at John's
Hopkins University and in its dealings with medical center in India. Drug
studies in India have become a lucrative business with inadequate
oversight.Indian medical institutions are still ill equipped to conduct
trials since expertise in designing and execution of clinical trials is
largely missing.Drug companies would be very much interested to study
Indian population because of genetic diversity and huge population base.
However, there is no way to determine which institutions should be
selected to handle studies of importance. Unless India creates a cadre of
clinicians trained in conduct of clinical trials, it is almost criminal to
allow people without any insight to remain in-charge of drug trials. If
the medical center in Kerala had had input in the design of study, they
would have been able to see through the pitfalls. It is high time that
India took a fresh look at drug trials in India, and avoid further
catastrophies. Thanks
Competing interests: No competing interests
Dear Editor
It was a shocking news for me, but I was not surprised to see that
the target population was from the Indian subcontinent.It was indeed a
shameful act for the JOHNHOPKINS UNIVERSITY and for Medical Profession
itself to
play with the life of the poor people of poor countries.
This is a matter of great concern as it is not the first and only episode
of this terrible"drama".Researchers prefer countries like India , Pakistan
,Bangladesh etc because nobody is there to ask from them what they are
doing and how they are doing. Even looking at my own country,Pakistan, one
may not be able to find any "research and ethical committee" to govern any
ongoing research activities.
To esteblish such committees is the need of the hour.
But who cares in the third world countries...the Govt..the health
authorities..the researchers .. or research sponsors..? No one is bothered
about it.God may take care of these poor sufferers.
Competing interests: No competing interests
Sir,
With referrnce to news published in BMJ(1),I am not only
shocked but also distressed to find that a well known reaserch institute
like John Hopkins university is involved
in drug testing on humans.Indeed they have completely disregarded ethics
and human respect in doing so,simply to enhance their name and research
work.Secondly they have not taken a serious action on these doctors even
after admitting their mistake.I believe it will be dangerous to allow such
doctors to stay in practice and those poor patients must get full
compensations as Americans would have got it.
1.John Hopkins admits scientist used Indian patients as guinea pigs.
News Ganapati Mudur,BMJ 2001;3:1204b.
Competing interests: No competing interests
Sir,
This is only the tip of an iceberg revealed due to the courage of a
subordinate whistle-blower. In the third world - especially in India -
several successful research careers are being built upon unsuspecting,
gullible and trusting "Human guinea pigs" by smooth talking researchers
who use "informed consent" as their fig leaf of ethical behaviour.
Some researchers I know coerce subordinate members of the team to
"some how" recruit subjects and help meet the targets within the
stipulated time. Having been a whistle blower who chose to change his job
early in my career, I know the difficulties faced by the junior staff, who
do not comply with such pressures.
Surgeons and interventionists operating on Indian patients during
"Show-how conferences" is another area of concern for the ethically
minded. The credentials of the visitor is often based on hear say; the
patients pay stiff fee for the procedure while the organisers cover all
the expenses through sponsorship.
Unless health activists and ethical professionals form networks to
detect and curb such activities, these will flourish in the third world.
Yours truly,
Dr K.R. Sethuraman. MD, PGDHE.
Founder President - Society of EQUIP
===============
Competing interests: No competing interests
Whitewashing the rogue doctors
It is to the credit of Kerala society and local media that the whole
sordid episode of the "human experiment" was brought to light and
publicized.(technically it is not a drug trial as even a cursory glance at
the protocol reveals. The outcome measurements are done in the tissue
removed and sent to the Johns Hopkins and not in the patient who undergoes
conventional treatment after an unnecessary delay)
To the everlasting shame of the medical community, two enquiry reports
have done a whitewash job, finding only minor technical violations. Both reports have failed to notice the glaring flaws in the
design. They want to punish the whistle blower while absolving the
wrongdoers!
Competing interests: No competing interests