Ex-superintendent claims ₹6 cr earned from clinical trials deposited in V S Hospital account
Updated: Apr 26th, 2025
Former medical superintendent Manish Patel, who has been in the eye of the alleged clinical research scam at Sheth Vadilal Sarabhai Hospital (V S Hospital), has finally given a statement.
“I have not committed any scam. Regarding the deaths reported during clinical research, all three occurred at SVP Hospital, not at V S Hospital. Around 40 to 45 clinical trials were conducted, and the ₹6 crore earned were deposited into the V S Hospital account. Neither I nor any of my relatives have received any money in our accounts,” Dr Patel claimed.
The V S Hospital, run by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC), has become the epicentre of controversy over clinical trials. On Friday, the ex-medical superintendent Dr Patel and suspended Dr Devang Rana appeared before the inquiry committee. Before this hearing, five rooms at the hospital’s trauma centre, used for clinical research trials, were sealed. The inquiry committee recorded their statements relating to the clinical research.
Dr Patel stated that the clinical trials were conducted as per the ethics committee’s regulations.
When questioned about how clinical trials were conducted despite the hospital lacking an ethics committee, he replied, “We signed MoUs within a 50 km radius of the hospital to conduct the trials. Of the three deaths mentioned, none occurred at V S Hospital; all happened at SVP Hospital. All hospitals run by the AMC are affiliated to NHL Medical College. We received an official letter from NHL Medical College. After receiving the necessary approvals, we conducted all clinical trials. We did not have any joint accounts. I was not Dr Rana’s superior officer.”
Speaking about the funds related to the clinical research trials at V S Hospital, Dr Patel explained, “As per Central Government guidelines, we signed MOUs with four to five organisations to conduct clinical trials. It is standard for funds to be received at the end of the trial, sometimes even midway, depending on the trial’s duration. If a clinical trial runs for two to three years, funds are received accordingly. However, all funds were deposited directly into the hospital’s account. Even at AIIMS and Pondicherry Government institutions, a 10% share is received.”
Suspended Dr Rana also appeared before the inquiry committee on Friday and later spoke to the media. He said, “In 2021, after receiving a letter of approval from the deputy municipal commissioner (health hospital) of the AMC, the clinical trial activities were initiated. No deaths occurred during clinical trials at V S Hospital during my tenure. I was suspended without being heard, and the decision was one-sided.”
Despite previously raising a ruckus in the municipal board about the VS Hospital clinical research, the opposition Congress has now gone silent after the inquiry began.
Meanwhile, from the BJP, the city mayor and chairperson of the V S Board had only issued a general statement that strict action will be taken against those found guilty after the investigation. Neither Congress nor BJP seems to be taking the seriousness of conducting clinical research trials on poor and middle-class patients’ lives seriously.
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