Tue Jul 01 19:36:04 UTC 2025: **Summary:**

The Karnataka State Health Department has requested the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) and the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) to investigate allegations of unfair clinical trials at Healthcare Global Enterprises (HCG), a Bengaluru-based cancer care facility. The request stems from concerns raised by former Institutional Ethics Committee head, retired judge P. Krishna Bhat, citing potential breaches of patient safety, regulatory compliance, and institutional integrity, including conflicts of interest and patient enrollment issues.

**News Article:**

**Bengaluru Cancer Center Under Investigation Over Alleged Unfair Clinical Trials**

**Bengaluru, July 2, 2025** – The State Health Department has called for a formal investigation into Healthcare Global Enterprises (HCG), a prominent private cancer care facility headquartered in Bengaluru, following allegations of unethical practices during clinical trials.

State Health Commissioner K.B. Sivakumar has written to the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) and the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO), urging them to examine the claims. The allegations were brought to light by retired judge P. Krishna Bhat, the former head of HCG’s Institutional Ethics Committee, who resigned from his position citing “serious concerns” regarding patient safety and regulatory compliance.

According to Commissioner Sivakumar’s letter, Judge Bhat raised significant issues, including potential conflicts of interest in patient enrollment and overall institutional integrity. “These lapses, if proven, will undermine the strict ethical principles laid down by the DCGI, Department of Health Research, Indian Council of Medical Research and global regulatory bodies like WHO,” stated the Commissioner.

The investigation aims to determine whether HCG violated established ethical guidelines for clinical trials, potentially jeopardizing patient safety and undermining the integrity of medical research. The outcome of the investigation could have significant implications for HCG and the broader clinical trial landscape in India.

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