The state government of Andhra Pradesh has instructed various departments to take immmediate action on the alleged violations by pharmaceutical companies on conducting experiments on humans.

The chief secretary, government of Andhra Pradesh, after receiving a complaint from Andhra Pradesh Labour Union, Hyderabad, reviewed the developments with secretary-Medical Health and family Welfare, principal secretary for Labour Employment and Training and Factories, and the director general Drugs and Copy Right and other key officers of the concerned departments and instructed various departments to take immediate action on the issue, on Wednesday.

It is significant to note that the drugs department had already submitted an initial report on the observations made by the officers at GVK Biosciences to the chief secretary on Wednesday. However, the chief secretary has asked AP Drugs Control Administration officers to further investigate the complaint and submit a comprehensive report within two days.

AP Labour Union has alleged that the pharmaceutical companies are conducting experiments on humans against the rules and the state government also failing to take action on the erring companies.

The police department has been alerted to speed up the investigation of cheating the labour by GVK Biosciences (Hyderabad).

P Ananthasayanam Reddy, director general, drugs and copyright has also been instructed to address a letter to the Drugs Controller General (India) to investigate on the compliance of Good Clinical Practices including verification of assistance of impartial witness, informed consent during the clinical trials conducted by GVK, an official press release from AP DCA said.

The departments of Medical and Health, Labour, Revenue and Trade Union Leaders are directed to formulate necessary guidelines for conducting clinical trials on humans in order to protect the interests and welfare of the labourers.