[India] Big Pharma Corruption: “tip of the iceberg”
India Must Regulate Drug Regulatory Body First. Bribery Controversy Blessing in Disguise
Last Monday, the Central Bureau of Investigation arrested a top official of the Central Drugs Standards Control Organisation (CDSCO) on charges of accepting bribe for fast-tracking a drug approval.
The other officials involved included a [senior executive] of the pharma company [BIOCON Biologics], two others indirectly involved with Biocon, and a few other officials of India’s apex drug regulatory agency.
According to the CBI’s first information report filed in the case, the joint drug controller of CDSCO was caught taking a bribe of Rs 4 lakh for waiving phase 3 clinical trials of Insulin Aspart Injection and was negotiating for a total bribe of Rs 9 lakh for clearing two other Biocon files.
This joint drug controller of CDSCO was also appointed as the drug controller general of India (DCGI) – the head of India’s drug and vaccine regulatory system – from February 2018 to August 2019.
a pharma industry veteran told me, adding that what investigative agencies have found is just the “tip of an iceberg”.
We have been told that the phone calls of several officials were being tapped for the past many months.
“Right now, all officers and staffers of CDSCO are quite nervous.”
https://www.msn.com/en-in/news/other/health-matters-india-must-regulate-drug-regulatory-body-first-bribery-controversy-blessing-in-disguise/ar-AAYTYD9
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