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Time of India
28-04-2025
- Health
- Time of India
‘Funds diverted to personal bank a/cs of doctors, their kin'
Ahmedabad: An inquiry committee constituted by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) to investigate the alleged illegal clinical trials at VS Hospital uncovered another financial irregularity where crores of rupees meant for the hospital were allegedly diverted to private accounts of the doctors and their family members. The preliminary findings of the committee revealed that between 2021 and 2024, there were instances where money paid by pharmaceutical companies for 58 clinical trials was deposited directly into the personal bank accounts of Dr Devang Rana, his Hindu Undivided Family (HUF) account, and his wife Priyanka Rana's bank account instead of the hospital's coffers, alleged a senior AMC official. Investigators suspect that more accounts may also have been used for the financial misconduct . You Can Also Check: Ahmedabad AQI | Weather in Ahmedabad | Bank Holidays in Ahmedabad | Public Holidays in Ahmedabad While the doctors accused of financial irregularities claimed to deposit Rs 6 crores into VS Hospital's account, they failed to provide any evidence supporting the claim. No separate account for clinical trial funds was maintained as required by regulations, and officials have now requested details of the doctors' bank accounts for further investigation, revealed the AMC official. The alleged illegal clinical trials reportedly began in 2021 when VS Hospital was separated from NHL Medical College's ethics committee. Without any approval from the AMC, Medical Education Trust, or VS Management Board, retired superintendent Dr Manish Patel and clinical head Dr Devang Rana arbitrarily reduced the clinical trial establishment fee to just 10% compared to the standard 40% charged at SVP Hospital. This unauthorised 30% discount resulted in an estimated loss of Rs 18-20 crore to VS Hospital while making it an attractive destination for pharmaceutical companies. Between 2021 and 2024, only 21 legal clinical trials were conducted at SVP Hospital, compared to 58 illegal trials at VS Hospital. If SVP Hospital's ethics committee approval was sought, a 40% fee would have been required. To circumvent this, approval from a private ethics committee within a 50 km radius was obtained for trials at VS Hospital. The accused doctors claimed they obtained approval from a deputy municipal commissioner for the reduced fees but failed to provide any supporting documentation, added the AMC official. Investigators believe the doctors exploited loopholes in central govt clinical trial laws and DGCI guidelines to benefit pharmaceutical companies while diverting funds to their personal accounts.
Time of India
24-04-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Probe ignores human cost of illegal trials
Ahmedabad: How did doctors manage to pocket money from the illegal clinical trials without the civic body's knowledge? That will be the focus of the five-member committee formed by Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) to investigate the scandal at VS Hospital, and not how the civic-run hospital turned into a lab where gullible and mainly poor patients were treated as guinea pigs. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now It is suspected that 10 doctors allegedly pocketed a total of Rs 20 crore during the 58 trials conducted between 2021 and 2024, sources close to the development said. Amid the swirling scandal, AMC officials, surprisingly, have refrained from commenting on whether a separate committee will be constituted to probe the trial documents, but have confirmed AMC is looking into the money trail of crores of rupees into the bank accounts of former superintendent Dr Manish Patel and associate professor Dr Devang Rana and how it lost out on the crores of rupees, sources said. The probe completely overlooks whether the trials were legal under regulations laid down by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) under the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) and if protocols were followed, they added. "The superintendent of VS Hospital has officially emailed the CDSCO and DCGI informing them about the 58 clinical trials conducted between 2021 and 2024," a senior AMC official, requesting anonymity, said. He added that the five-member committee will only investigate which officials or doctors received the funds during these trials. "We (AMC) cannot verify if the trials followed the correct protocols and were legal. Investigating that will require medical experts, which is beyond our scope. Therefore, our committee will only investigate the money trail," he added. VS Hospital did not have an ethics committee, but SVP Hospital, which is on the same campus, had one. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Yet, private pharmaceutical companies conducted 58 trials at VS Hospital over four years, suggesting not just financial irregularities, but also potential misconduct to complete the trials within the time stipulated by the pharmaceutical companies. In its Thursday report, TOI had quoted insiders who said that irregularities will surface if documents and patient consent for all 58 trials are scrutinized. In Jan 2019, AMC established SVP Hospital on VS Hospital's premises. Senior doctors from VS Hospital were gradually transferred to SVP Hospital. When the pandemic struck in 2020, VS Hospital was designated as a Covid hospital. "However, after 2021, only 500 beds were operational at VS Hospital, and due to a lack of senior doctors, most of the beds remained vacant. It was during this time that illegal clinical trials began," the source said. There are also doubts if the trials even adhered to Drugs Controller General of India guidelines. "That's why all documents are being concealed. If all records, including patient names, are investigated, irregularities in all clinical trials may be revealed," the official said.
Time of India
23-04-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Did pharma companies choose VS Hospital to avoid paperwork at SVP?
Ahmedabad: The saga on illegal clinical trials at VS Hospital is getting murkier with suspicions being raised over matters beyond the money trail. Reliable sources rue that the investigation is mainly focusing on the crores of rupees deposited in the bank accounts of the then VS Hospital superintendent Dr Manish Patel and associate professor Dr Devang Rana, who was appointed clinical head. "SVP Hospital had an ethics committee, while VS Hospital did not. Yet, private pharmaceutical companies chose the latter and conducted 58 clinical trials over four years. This not only points to financial misconduct, but also raises suspicion that the companies wanted to get the trials completed within a specific time and hence avoided the lengthy procedures of SVP Hospital's ethics committee. More irregularities may emerge if all documents and patient consents for the 58 trials are examined," a source said. If VS Hospital lacked an ethics committee, suspended doctors and the clinical research organization (CRO) could use SVP Hospital's ethics committee on the same campus. This has been confirmed in a letter from Drugs Controller General of India Dr Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi, approving a 2023 trial by an Ahmedabad-based CRO at VS Hospital. The letter states, "The ethics committee and the trial site must be within the same city or within a 50km radius." In Jan 2019, SVP Hospital was established on VS Hospital's premises. Senior doctors from VS Hospital were gradually transferred to SVP Hospital. When the pandemic struck in 2020, VS Hospital was designated as a Covid hospital. "However, after 2021, only 500 beds were operational at VS Hospital, and due to a lack of senior doctors, most of the beds remained vacant. It was during this time that illegal clinical trials began," the source said. The official backed this claim with data on indoor patients in VS Hospital. "In 2017-18, the hospital recorded 74,746 indoor patients, and 73,865 in 2018-19. After the new SVP Hospital started in Jan 2019, the number at VS Hospital fell with 22,080 indoor patients in 2019-20, 10,013 in 2021-22 and 9,646 in 2022-23. As the number of patients continued to decline, illegal clinical trials increased. Between 2021 and 2024, 58 illegal drug trials were conducted here," he said. There are also doubts if the trials even adhered to DCGI guidelines. " If all records, including patient names, are investigated, irregularities may be revealed," the official said. "Did pharmaceutical companies choose VS Hospital for the trials because they saw their benefit?" the source said.
Time of India
22-04-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Carried out trials okayed by dean, supt, says VS doc
Ahmedabad: Dr Devang Rana , associate professor and clinical head at VS Hospital, suspended by Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) over illegal clinical trials had last week submitted a written response on the allegations, saying he was only acting on the orders of superiors. His explanation to the chairman of the Medical Education Trust (MET) and AMC on April 17 states, "I was appointed as the clinical head at VS Hospital in 2021. I conducted clinical trial activities that the NHL Medical College dean and the VS Hospital superintendent had permitted." He added, "I did not engage in any serious negligence, financial misconduct, or misbehaviour. I was appointed as the clinical head at VS Hospital by the order of the AMC and the NHL Medical College dean. The activities were conducted with the approval of the NHL Medical College dean and the VS Hospital superintendent. AMC MET's SOP was limited to NHL, Narendra Modi Medical College, and AMC-MET Dental College. My role was to ensure that clinical trials were conducted as per the agreement. I was not responsible for financial transactions. AMC did not request any evidence from me." The statement further reads, "As the principal investigator, I provided all evidence to the VS Hospital superintendent on March 17 and March 28, 2025, detailing all trials conducted to date. All trials were conducted per DCGI regulations, without any irregularities, and were known to the superintendent. The investigation confirmed this. The information regarding the remuneration I received was provided by the site managing officer. The claim about transferring money to my relatives' accounts is false."
Time of India
22-04-2025
- Health
- Time of India
‘Only 21 legal drug trials at SVP Hospital against 58 illegal trials at VS'
Ahmedabad: A five-member investigation committee from the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation 's vigilance department has begun investigation into the allegations of illegal clinical trials at VS Hospital. According to senior AMC officials in the know of the development, 21 authorized clinical trials were conducted at SVP hospital over the past four years, whereas more than double that – 58 illegal clinical trials – were allegedly conducted covertly at the neighbouring VS Hospital during the same period. Doctors involved in these illegal trials allegedly deposited crores of rupees into their bank accounts, sources said. Notably, since 2019, SVP Hospital and VS Hospital have been operating on the same premises. However, in Jan 2019, separate superintendents were appointed for both hospitals and senior doctors from VS Hospital were gradually transferred to SVP Hospital, while doctors were hired on contract to operate 500 beds at VS Hospital. During the pandemic, in 2020, both hospitals provided Covid treatment. The officials told TOI that it is after 2021 that illegal clinical trials began at VS Hospital after approval from a private ethics committee instead of through proper regulatory channels. These trials were conducted for private companies and Rs 17–20 crore were allegedly deposited into the doctors' personal bank accounts, said AMC sources. The investigation committee is preparing to charge Dr Manish Patel , the then superintendent of VS Hospital and Dr Devang Rana, the associate professor who was suspended after the allegations surfaced, sources told TOI. Multiple illegal clinical trials were allegedly conducted simultaneously in VS Hospital in 2021 and 2022. The Medical Education Trust managing SVP Hospital had information regarding these trials but did not take any action, senior AMC officials claimed.
