‘Project proposal carried out as research on human participants' Nature and objectives of these projects makes it evident that they are in fact clinical trials ‘They have administered an intervention which is not part of a prescribed prevention' The final report of the committee appointed by the Centre to enquire into alleged irregularities in the conduct of studies using Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine has found enough evidence to suggest that there were...

The long search for an effective system to target subsidies on food, fertiliser and fuel has finally ended with the Planning Commission accepting the idea of an Aadhaar-based rechargeable smart card. Ideas like direct cash transfers and food stamps have been rejected in favour of the Aadhaar smart card. The new proposal can help target the food subsidy with the tamper-proof biometric cards – Aadhaar unique identity cards – being...

The Lokpal Act finally seems set to turn into reality. With civil society members and citizens turning the heat on the government over the setting up of the anti-corruption body, the Lokpal bill occupies centrestage in Delhi's politics. The joint panel, comprising civil society members and Union ministers, has been meeting in New Delhi to hammer out the draft of the anti-corruption bill. Let's take a look at the highlights...

Karnataka government will appoint a two-member expert committee to frame guidelines to regulate clinical drug trials and research projects in all government and private medical colleges and hospitals in the State. The trials and projects will remain suspended till the recommendations are made by the committee. "Until such time, all ongoing clinical drug trials and research projects have been temporarily suspended," Medical Education Minister S A Ramadass told reporters here today. He cited...

“Declare State GM organisms-free on the lines of M.P., Bihar” Farmer groups here on Sunday demanded that Rajasthan be declared a genetically modified (GM) organisms-free State on the lines of Madhya Pradesh, which has recently decided to prohibit any environmental release, including field trials, of GM seeds and crops in view of their safety and impact on human beings and environment still being in doubt. Madhya Pradesh is the second State in...