PANJIM: The internal committee constituted by Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMC) to inquire into the alleged misconduct by the doctor duo conducting clinical tests at GMC was not given patient details due to the secrecy agreement with the patients.
The internal committee reports says, “The patient details were not given to the committee as both doctors said it is confidential as per their agreement with patients but failed to produce the agreement copy.”
Based on a complaint it had received, Vigilance department had directed GMC to conduct the internal inquiry and a three-member committee was constituted to inquire into the complaint.
On completion of the inquiry and based on its report Dr A M Mesquita, professor and head of the pulmonary medicine department, GMC and assistant professor Dr Lalita Fernandes were suspended last Thursday.
The three-page report sent by GMC to Vigilance, however, leads to many more questions. Vigilance officers have said they will probe the entire case.
As per the GMC inquiry committee findings there were 14 clinical trials conducted by the duo since 2009 but the complaint mentions that the practice was underway since 2005.
The doctor duo said they had taken permission of GMC’s institutional ethics committee but failed to furnish it, however as per Vigilance the NOC (No Objection Certificate) is necessary to conduct any such test or to work during duty hours on a private job. No such NOC was given to the duo to conduct any such test; and no agreement was signed, either between GMC or govt.
The inquiry report also revealed that the details of the budget sanctioned and financial transactions in each trial have not been provided.
