Panels meant to ensure safety & rights of volunteers must be registered with DCGI

Starting next week, all ethics panels that are meant to ensure the safety and rights of volunteers for clinical trials, must be registered with the Drug Controller General of India. The changes in the norms for ethics committees, that review and approve protocols of all clinical trials, are part of a clean-up act in the regulation of such trials initiated by the government after being rapped by the Supreme Court last month.“Even the existing ethics committees, which are part of ongoing trials would have to seek registration at the drug regulator’s office within 45 days of the notification,” said a health ministry official.