Victims used for drug trials without their knowledge

The trials were stopped in August 2008 following uproar over similar tests in other reputed hospitals in the country. After months of investigation,Convenor of BGPMUS Abdul Jabbar announced on Wednesday that several victims were not aware that they were being subjected to trials.

Despite repeated attempts,director K K Maudar and PRO Mazrullah Khan were unavailable for comment.

BGPMUS provided details of half a dozen patients who were treated at the hospital and subjected to tests but not told about them. All of them were made to sign consent forms without being clearly informed about the tests or that they could prove fatal.

Though not a gas victim herself,Dr Laxmi Mishra,a retired gynaecologist in her late 70s,confirmed that she had signed the consent form but was not informed about the trials.

As gas victims are provided free treatment in the hospital,victims often allege that the hospital staff give priority to private patients while ill-treating the genuine victims.

MP wants locals in hospital trust

Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Gas Tragedy relief and rehabilitation minister Babulal Gaur has written to Home Minister P Chidambaram requesting him to dissolve the Bhopal Memorial Hospital Trust BMHT and restructure it by including local trustees. Gaur said most of the incumbent trustees were outsiders and non-inclusion of local members had made survivors angry. Gaur said he will take up the matter with Chidambaram on Friday. ens