Opposition Congress in Gujarat has raised a red flag over stem cell therapies conducted on over two thousand patients at the state government run Institute of Kidney Diseases and Research Centre in Ahmedabad.
Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee spokesperson Parthivrajsinh Kathavadia told Vibes of India that between 1999 and 2017, stem cell therapies were conducted on 2,352 patients and 741 died during the said period.
He said the details are based on a report of report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India. The report of 2024, he said, has not been tabled in the state assembly and the information is based on details drawn from a response to one RTI application.
“The CAG report states that stem cell therapy failed in 91 percent of cases, with 2,132 out of 2,352 patients experiencing unsuccessful outcomes. Kidney transplants failed in 569 patients, and complications in 110 patients prevented kidney transplants,” Kathavadia maintained.
He claimed that in 2017, stem cell therapy at IKDRC was halted by the National Apex Committee for Stem Cell Research and Therapy.
“The CAG observed that IKDRC conducted clinical trials without approval from the Institutional Committee for Stem Cell Research and Therapy,” he alleged.
The CAG report mentions that in 1999, 131 stem cell therapy human trials were conducted, in 2000 it was 129, in 2001 it was 112, in 2002 it was 60 and in 2003 it was 80. In 2004, the Centre conducted 125 trials, in 2005 — 111, in 2006 — 171, in 2007 — 234, in 2008 — 217 and in 2009 — 252.
In 2010, 150 were conducted, in 2011 — 55, in 2012 — 90, in 2013 — 146, in 2014 — 114, in 2015 — 79, 2016 – 46 and in 2017 — 29.
Alleging that unauthorised experiments were conducted on innocent patients, the Congress leader asked as to who would be held responsible for the loss of lives.
He said the Congress demands stringent action against all individuals responsible for the lapse.
In an email, dated July 2, 2025, to the authorities concerned in Gujarat, Dr. Anil Kumar, director of National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation, has mentioned about a complaint received regarding alleged illegal cadaver kidney transplants and unapproved stem cell therapy at the Institute of Kidney Diseases.
The authorities have been asked to look into the matter and submit an action taken report within a fortnight.
Kathavadia observed that the Institute may well be famous, but certain “wrong things” are happening. How can you treat people/patients as guinea pigs, he asked.
According to him, the CAG in its report has gone on to mention that the intended benefits of the stem cell laboratory have not been realised due to regulatory and procedural lapses.
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