Congress corporator Rajshree Kesari claimed that three patients died during the alleged clinical trials at Vadilal Sarabhai (VS) Hospital by 58 companies, which resulted in the suspension of an associate professor and the issuance of termination letters to eight doctors. The controversy reached a boiling point on Monday. She aired the accusations at the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation’s (AMC) general board meeting.
The Vibes of India had reported about this major scandal that rocked Gujarat involving illegal clinical trials conducted on over 500 poor patients at VS Hospital, a government-run facility in Ahmedabad. The trials were orchestrated by S4 Research Pvt. Ltd., a patient recruitment company that signed a fraudulent 25-year MoU with the hospital. No regulatory approvals were obtained, and signatures were forged to fabricate permissions. The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) and Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) were completely bypassed.
Patients, mostly unaware they were part of a clinical study, were misled into taking experimental medications under the pretense of government medicine shortages. Doctors pushed “new-age private medicines” for chronic conditions like diabetes and arthritis. CBCC Global Research, which partnered with a Korean pharmaceutical sponsor, Caregen Co. Ltd, was among the companies named. The Korean firm appears not to have violated any laws.
An illegal ethics committee, allegedly formed to serve pharmaceutical interests, approved the trials. Eight doctors have been sacked, and a formal investigation has begun, though whistleblowers allege broader political involvement. The former hospital superintendent resigned and has gone into real estate, raising further suspicions.
Vibes of India has published evidence online and is calling for global scrutiny and support from public health advocates.
“In the past four years, illegal clinical trials have been conducted at VS Hospital on 500 patients. Three of them died during the trials. The mother of one of the deceased contacted me,” Kesari told a national daily.
Questioning the integrity of the probe, she added, “The current superintendent of VS Hospital, Dr Parul Shah, who is a member of the committee, is on the radar in the case. The official should therefore be immediately removed from the committee.”
Congress corporators, carrying placards and dressed in white outfits, organised protests at the AMC office demanding accountability. Opposition leader in the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) Shehzadkhan Pathan said, “Ahmedabad’s VS Hospital was renowned nationally and internationally for its excellent medical services, but its reputation has been tarnished due to the illegal clinical trials during the BJP’s rule. AMC officials are responsible for this.”
Municipal commissioner Banchha Nidhi Pani was quoted as saying, “An illegal ethical committee was formed by the then superintendent of VS Hospital without any approval, and clinical trials were conducted. An investigation has been initiated. This is a medical issue, and experts have been included in the inquiry committee. We do not wish to hide anything, and strict action will be taken against the accused.”
