Drugs legislation is hampering clinical research, warns David Nutt

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Former government drugs adviser says progress towards new treatments for pain, Parkinson’s and depression being blocked

 Alok Jha, science correspondent theguardian.com, Monday 4 November 2013 19.09 GMT

The UK’s drug laws are preventing scientists from carrying out vital research to unlock our understanding of the brain and find new treatments for conditions such as depression and Parkinson’s disease, according to Professor David Nutt, a leading neuroscientist and former government drug adviser.

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Indians pay dear for drug reputation

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By Ranjita Biswas

KOLKATA – More than 2,500 Indians have died in the course of clinical trials in recent years, government figures reveal.

According to an affidavit filed by the health ministry in the Supreme Court in response to a petition by health NGOs, there were 80 deaths due to clinical trials between January 2005 and June 2012. Between July 2012 and August 2013, nine more such reported deaths occurred, making this total 89, according to the petitioner Swasthya Adhikar Manch (SAM), a health rights forum. Compensation was paid in 82 cases.

The ministry also admitted that 2,644 people died during clinical trials of 475 new drugs from 2005 to 2012. These people diedduring the period of the clinical trials.

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