Centre Bans HCG Hospital Bengaluru Ethics Committee For 2 Years Over Clinical Trial Violations
· Free Press Journal
Bengaluru: The prestigious cancer research institute in Bengaluru -- HealthCare Global Enterprises Limited (HGC) has suffered a major setback with the Union Government ordering a ban on the `Ethics Committee' of the institution for a period of two years.
Visit afsport.lat for more information.
Also Watch:
Ban on clinical trials imposed
Due to the ban on the Ethics Committee by the Centre, the HCG has been prohibited from conducting any clinical trials for the next 24 months.
Controversy over previous trials
A controversy over the clinical trial in the HGC had broken out in July 2025, when the then Ethics Committee Chairman Justice P Krishna Bhat resigned after the institute failed to act on his findings on discrepancies during the conduct of clinical trials. Following his resignation, the Institute CEO and a few surgeons also resigned.
When the issue took a serious turn, the then Karnataka Health and Family Welfare Minister Dinesh Gundurao wrote a letter to the Centre, requesting an investigation and action against the Cancer Research Institute.
124 Outsourced Workers Strike At Jhabua District HospitalCentral investigation reveals violations
Following the complaints, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation and Drugs Controller General of India visited the hospital and conducted an investigation. During the investigation by the Centre, it was revealed that a number of discrepancies had taken place during clinical trials, which were in total violation of rules.
As per the findings, between 2021 and 2025, at least nine patients suffered for a long period and died, but the HCG did not report it to the government. When a person undergoing clinical trials fell ill, the hospital, instead of providing emergency care, sent her to the out-patient section, resulting in her death within 24 hours. The HCG had kept this episode secret for 10 months. Another patient, who was suffering from liver and lung cancer, was sent home saying that he was cured. Interestingly, the hospital had not conducted liver tests on the patient.
Maharashtra FDA Intensifies Inspections Across MMR After BMC Flags 12 Abortion Pill Complication Cases At VN Desai Hospital, SantacruzConflict of interest concerns
When the controversy broke out, during the 2024 Ethics Committee meeting on the clinical trial, Dr Govinda Babu signed a declaration saying that he had `no conflict of interest' in the meeting. However, he was heading the clinical trial of HCG. Dr Govinda Babu was the chief investigation officer of the clinical trial errors conducted by his team.
Government directives to HCG
Citing more than eight major discrepancies, the Centre has directed the HCG to compensate the family members of the victims of the clinical trials and submit all the files pertaining to the conditions of the persons undergoing clinical trials. The Centre has also asked the HCG to submit a detailed report on the steps initiated to ensure that such discrepancies do not recur in the future.