India has been the focus of medical research since the time when sunburned men with pith helmets and degrees from prestigious European medical schools came to catalog tropical illnesses.
The days of the Raj are long gone, but multinational corporations are riding high on the trend toward globalization by taking advantage of India's educated work force and deep poverty to turn South Asia into the world's largest clinical-testing petri dish.
The sudden influx of drug companies to India resembles the gold rush frontier, according to Sean Philpott, managing editor of The American Journal of Bioethics.
"Not only are research costs low, but there is a skilled work force to conduct the trials," he said. In the rush to reap profits, Philpott cautions that drug companies may not be sensitive to how poverty can undermine the spirit of informed consent. "Individuals who participate in Indian clinical trials usually won't be educated. Offering $100 may be undue enticement; they may not even realize that they are being coerced," he said.
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You beat me to it again
It's ok, I enjoyed my coffee :D
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christ. what a statement- "third world lives are worth much less than european lives". and most of the people undergoing the tests won't be able to afford the drugs in question once they're approved. what a world.
we're here for a good time, not a long time- so have a good time, the sun can't shine every day.....
Ha ha, and to think I got a late start today.........nice to see my news nemesis got to kick up his feet and enjoy his cup of coffee.......Originally Posted by Krell
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