KARIMNAGAR: After Boga Suresh, who developed complications while undergoing clinical trials conducted by Bengaluru and Hyderabad based pharma companies, his brother Boga Rajesh is now confessing that he too was undergoing clinical trials since 2005. He claimed that poverty forced them to become volunteers for drug companies. In an interaction with Commissioner of Police VB Kamalasan Reddy and media here on Monday, Rajesh revealed how he was lured into the clinical trails.
“What work is there to do? I even tried to work for a month and got just Rs 4,000, whereas going to clinical trials can earn Rs8,000 in just two days,” he said giving the reason for going frequently for clinical trails.
He underwent around 30 clinical trails for 10 laboratories in Hyderabad. He said that was two months ago. His brother and he were alternating for the trials, he added.
Due to poverty, he stopped his education after completing class X and took up a job as a compounder in various hospitals in Warangal and Jammikunta.Currently, Boga Ramesh is suffering from headache, stomach pain, legs pain and has developed diabetes too. To earn for a family of five, there is no other way out, he said.After hearing about his condition, the commissioner suggested him to lodge a complaint with Drug Control General of India so that they can take action.
‘Hundreds of youth from Kothapalli undergo such trials’
About 100 youth from Kothapalli village alone in Jammikunta mandal are going for clinical trials for some years voluntarily. It is a network where once a person goes and earns money, he lures his friends to do the same, Rajesh said. Youth from Kothapalli see ‘wanted’ pamphlets in buses and contact the numbers. Agents for Bangalore and Mumbai pharmaceutical companies work on commission basis
to get such persons for clinical trials, he said.