Latest news with #HCG
Business Standard
10-07-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Desco Infratech gains on bagging Rs 2-cr of order
Desco Infratech advanced 2.20% to Rs 227.90 after the company announced that it had received order worth Rs 2.06 crore from Torrent Gas Chennai and HCG (KCE). According to an exchange filing, the order includes DPNG work for high-rise buildings in Chennai and domestic, industrial, and commercial customer connections, involving service line MDPE laying and installation of PNG connections in high-rise buildings at Hisar, Haryana. The company clarified that neither the promoter, the promoter group, nor any group companies have any financial or other interest in the awarding entities. Additionally, the company has received lowest bidder (L1) confirmation from Maharashtra Natural Gas. As per SEBI regulations and the applicable Master Circular, a separate disclosure will be made upon receipt of the Letter of Intent (LOI) or Letter of Award (LOA) from the concerned authority. Desco Infratech is an infrastructure company focused on engineering, planning, & construction, particularly in city gas distribution, renewable energy, water, and power sectors. On a full-year basis, the company's net profit surged 172.9% to Rs 9.06 crore on a 102.3% rise in revenue to Rs 59.45 crore in FY25 over FY24.
New Indian Express
05-07-2025
- Health
- New Indian Express
Unqualified HCG staff mixing cancer drugs, shows internal audit in Bengaluru
Among the most serious concerns was that Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) used at the site were authored by individuals lacking clinical research qualifications. The guidelines referred to an old rulebook that had been officially replaced in 2019. Auditors noted that key documents related to serious adverse events (SAEs) and protocol violations were also missing. There were no impact assessments, no clarity on medical management provided to affected participants, and no documentation of financial compensation, despite these being mandatory under regulatory norms. Even when SAEs were discussed in IEC meetings, the report said, there was little explanation about causality or follow-up actions. The functioning of the Ethics Committee itself was found to be severely compromised. In multiple instances, committee meetings were held without the required quorum. These findings now come under scrutiny again as HCG faces an ongoing investigation triggered by a letter from former IEC Chairperson Justice P Krishna Bhat. In his resignation earlier this year, he flagged multiple ethical and procedural lapses, including conflict of interest and lack of independence in clinical trial oversight.
India Today
03-07-2025
- Health
- India Today
Karnataka seeks central probe into clinical trial lapses at HCG hospitals
The Karnataka government has written to the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), requesting an investigation into alleged irregularities in clinical trials conducted at the Bengaluru-based Healthcare Global Enterprises Ltd (HCG) hospitals. The move follows concerns raised by Justice P Krishna Bhat, a retired judge and former chairperson of the hospital's Institutional Ethics Committee (IEC) regarding patient safety and procedural violations during trial to the media, Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao said the decision to seek an inquiry stemmed from troubling reports. 'This is based on certain information we saw and received, including some news articles, and then we found out there were some issues. This is a very serious issue, and it has been raised by the ethics committee of HCG Cancer Hospital itself by their own committee, chaired by Justice Krishna Bhat,' he said. He added that the Health Commissioner has already written to the Drug Controller General of India. 'We have asked them to look into the issue and investigate the matter, because it has serious implications regarding clinical trials and related concerns. I do not know what the truth is behind the whole thing, but it must be investigated by a responsible agency, and that is the CDSCO,' Rao BS Ajai Kumar, Founder and Chairman of HCG hospitals, responding to the allegations, issued a statement reiterating the hospital's adherence to all regulatory frameworks. 'We have noticed some unverified information about HCG, a pioneer in cancer care in India and Africa. We assure you that we strictly adhere to all guidelines set by regulatory authorities, including the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). Currently, we are successfully conducting a significant number of trials with utmost transparency, prioritising patient safety, approved by our Ethics Committee. Our commitment to delivering exceptional care remains unwavering,' Dr Ajai Kumar said on behalf of Healthcare Global Enterprises of the concerns were outlined in a letter dated June 30, 2025, by Health and Family Welfare Department Commissioner Sivakumar K B, who highlighted issues raised by Justice Bhat. These included unchecked conflicts of interest and irregularities in patient enrolment during trials, as reported by South letter, addressed to the Drugs Controller General of India, stated: 'These concerns have been flagged by none other than the chairperson of the institutional ethics committee, who has subsequently resigned.' It added: 'These lapses, if proven, will undermine the strict ethical principles laid down by the CDSCO, Department of Health Research, Indian Council of Medical Research, and global regulatory bodies like the World Health Organisation, which mandate the highest standards of patient safety and ethical conduct in clinical trials.'advertisementThe Commissioner described the matter as 'of serious concern' and called for a thorough probe into the allegations of 'unfair clinical trials being conducted at Bengaluru's HCG.'Justice Bhat had raised multiple concerns with then Chief Executive Officer Raj Gore and former Medical Director Dr Harish Reddy following discussions in several ethics committee meetings, in a March 5, 2025, letter, which was accessed by South of the most serious issues was a potential conflict of interest involving Dr Sathish, who allegedly served as both principal investigator and in a supervisory role as Director of the Ethics Committee. Justice Bhat wrote that this dual role posed ethical risks, including compromised patient safety, dilution of inclusion criteria, and resistance to procedural letter noted that although there is no formal post of 'Director of Clinical Trials' within ethics committees, institutions may appoint someone as 'Director of Clinical Trial Development' at the corporate level, typically endorsed by top leadership. Justice Bhat stated that during the 18 committee meetings he attended, the individual never clarified that he was not serving in such a dual concerns listed in the letter included rushed presentations, bypassing informed review processes, an excessive number of poorly explained trial proposals, and direct communication between the investigator and sponsors, which could open the door to commercial bias and protocol manipulation.- Ends IN THIS STORY#Karnataka#Bengaluru
New Indian Express
03-07-2025
- Health
- New Indian Express
Health department seeks probe into ‘unethical' clinical trials at HCG
BENGALURU: The Health and Family Welfare Department has written to the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI), seeking an investigation into alleged unethical clinical trials at Bengaluru-based HCG Hospital, a well-known cancer care hospital chain. The department acted after Justice P Krishna Bhat, former chairperson of the Institutional Ethics Committee (IEC) at HCG, raised serious concerns and resigned earlier this year. His resignation followed complaints about how clinical trials were being handled, especially patient safety, ethical violations and conflicts of interest. In a letter dated June 30, the health commissioner noted that the allegations raised questions about compliance with rules and integrity of clinical research. 'These lapses, if proven, will undermine the strict ethical principles laid down by DGCI, ICMR, DHR, and bodies like WHO,' the commissioner said. Justice Bhat had written on March 5 outlining several concerns. One of the main issues was a conflict of interest — Dr Sathish, director of clinical trials at HCG, was also acting as principal investigator (PI) or co-PI in many of the clinical trials he was supposed to oversee. This, according to medical research rules, is not allowed. ICMR states members of an ethics committee should not act as investigators in the same studies, as it affects independent judgement and patient safety.
Time of India
03-07-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Central Drugs Standards Control Organisation to inspect ethics panel of HCG Hospital in Bengaluru after clinical trial concerns
Bengaluru: The Central Drugs Standards Control Organisation (CDCSO) has set up a team to inspect the ethics committee of HCG Hospital, Bengaluru, amid concerns over conduct of clinical trials at the private facility. The inspection will take place Thursday and Friday. The decision follows a letter from K Srinivas, commissioner of food safety and drug administration, to CDCSO, pointing to potential violations in trial conduct that could affect patient safety, regulatory compliance and institutional integrity. The CDCSO team will assess the committee's compliance with New Drugs and Clinical Trials Rules, 2019. Officials said the review will follow a risk-based approach. You Can Also Check: Bengaluru AQI | Weather in Bengaluru | Bank Holidays in Bengaluru | Public Holidays in Bengaluru The matter was first flagged internally by Justice P Krishna Bhat (retd), former chairperson of the hospital's ethics committee. In a letter to CEO of Health Care Global Enterprises Limited (HCG), which runs the hospital, he raised questions over the dual role played by the director of clinical trials, who also serves as principal investigator (PI) or Co-PI in several ongoing trials. Justice Bhat argued this overlap created a conflict of interest, especially as the director interacted directly with pharmaceutical sponsors. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Glicemia acima de 130? Como baixar de forma natural G!Saú Undo He proposed dissociating the roles of director of clinical trials and PI, stating that "the director of clinical trials should not be involved in P&L [profit and loss] of clinical trials vertical, ensuring that financial incentives do not influence clinical decisions. " He also recommended that a PI should handle only a limited number of trials to maintain accountability and ensure adherence to good clinical practice (GCP) standards set by Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) and other regulators. In his letter, Justice Bhat noted that "over the past few years, audits have highlighted irregularities in the conduct of clinical trials at HCG, leading to harm to patient lives and regulatory lapses". One example he cited was the ethics committee's repeated insistence on adherence to WHO criteria for reporting deaths during clinical trials — an expectation that he said was not consistently met when serious adverse events were presented. Karnataka's health commissioner Sivakumar KB also wrote to DCGI on June 30, seeking an investigation into "unfair clinical trials" allegedly taking place at HCG. Justice Bhat said he had raised these matters internally through a WhatsApp group, committee meetings, and finally, a formal letter to the hospital's CEO. Health minister Dinesh Gundu Rao told media: "Based on certain information that was received, we found out there have been some issues. This is a very serious issue, raised by HCG hospital's ethics committee chairman Justice Krishna Bhat. The commissioner has already written a letter to DCGI to look into this issue and investigate the matter because it has got serious implications about clinical trials." HCG Response: We've noticed some unverified information about HCG, a pioneer in Cancer care in India and Africa. We assure you that we strictly adhere to all guidelines set by regulatory authorities, including DCGI and ICMR. Currently, we're successfully conducting a significant number of trials with utmost transparency, prioritizing patient safety, approved by our ethics committee. Our commitment to delivering exceptional care remains unwavering — Dr BS Ajaikumar, founder & chairman, HCG
