The comments by Justice Rajendra Mal Lodha relate to a suit filed last February in which non-profit organisation Swasthya Adhikar Manch (SAM) asked the Supreme Court to review the circumstances of 1,727 deaths in clinical trials held between 2007 and 2010.
According to the AFP Justice Lodha said: “Uncontrolled clinical trials are causing havoc to human life," adding that "there are so many legal and ethical issues involved with clinical trials and the government has not done anything so far."
Justice Lodha – who has previously warned that all trials could be stopped if the situation does not improve - told India’s health secretary to monitor all new applications for trials from pharmaceutical companies.