Mumbai : The Maharashtra health department while investigating the workstation of Dr. Hemant Gupta named in the Covid-19 jumbo centers scam have stumbled upon a clinical trial set-up and operating in state-run JJ Hospital. The clinical trial set-up consist of 3 room and measuring 4500 sq ft area. It is now being alleged that the center was established in 2015 and being a private entity it was to be charged commercial rent but no rent was paid to the JJ Hospital by the company. It is being alleged that more than 30 doctors have conducted clinical trials in the set-up but have not paid the hospital fees as mandated. As per the clinical trial rules a hospital has to be paid a sum by the doctor designated by the pharmaceutical company that is conducting the trial. The 30 plus doctors that have conducted the clinical trial for the pharmaceuticals company have not done the proper paper work and they have not taken permission from their departments to conduct the trials. These doctors who were to deposit fees before the trial are now depositing fees to the hospital which is the tune of 1 crores.
A five-member team headed by the vice -dean Dr. Ameeta Joshi is unearthing new facts of the scam on daily basis. The committee has found that an MOU was executed between JJ Hospital and Parshwa Life Science in 2018 for renting the premises of JJ Hospital for clinical trials. The rent should ideally be as per the market rate but the was rent was fixed at hugely subsidized rates of Rs. 2 Lakhs per annum. The hospital lost 4-6 crores on account of the rent. Even more threatening is the issue of “favorable reports” being generated by the pharmaceutical companies. JJ Hospital being a respected and prestigious name in the healthcare industry the clinical trial report is of immense benefit to the pharmaceutical companies carrying out the trial in the set-up.
