Companies say they follow global standards in India as well

Drug majors such as Novartis, Pfizer, Bayer Healthcare, Bristol Mayer Squibb, Sun Pharmaceutical and Dr Reddy’s Laboratories were allegedly involved in clinical trials in which 438 persons died in 2011, according to confidential government data reviewed by Business Standard. While the companies argue they follow the global standards, experts point at the absence of sound regulations as the main culprit. Although the number of deaths in clinical trials has been growing through the years, it fell in 2011 from the previous year mainly because of flat growth in the clinical research market in India.