KURNOOL: India emerged as the favoured destination of world drug giants for their clinical trials, J.S. Majumdar, senior leader of the Federation of Medical and Sales Reps' Associations of India, said.

Talking to reporters here on Saturday, Mr. Majumdar, who was here to attend the three-day conference of Andhra Pradesh Medical and Sales Representatives Union, said the trend had serious ramifications on the health of the country's population.

The rising cost and stringent laws in Europe discouraged drug trials.

The trend reduced Indians to guinea pigs of the world. The multinational drug companies had scant regard for the safety of Indian population and get their job done through outsourcing.

The Confederation of Indian Industry estimated that the size of clinical trial business would rise to $two billion by 2010 from $70 million now.

Trauma for public

But it had not estimated the loss and trauma caused to the general public.

Mr. Majumdar said the Indian Government too encouraged this unethical business by waiving service tax on clinical trials.

The companies refused to pay compensation to the victims in case of disability because of the loopholes in the law, he said.

Stringent laws urged

He called for stringent laws, on the lines of the laws in Europe, to help victims and a body to regulate clinical trials at the national-level.

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