Clinical Trials in Russia

The issues brought up in Petryna’s article about international clinical trials were featured recently in a New York Times article titled “Russians Eagerly Participate in Medical Experiments, Despite Risks” which was published on September 26th. The article discusses how, in 2010, the government passed a law to require the testing of pharmaceuticals in Russia in order for the drugs to be marketed within the country. This has been part of Putin and the Russian government’s plans to encourage clinical trials to locate their studies in Russia. These programs have worked and the latest number of trials approved within a six-month period has more than doubled. While these clinical trials often bring with them economic and health benefits to Russia (for many it’s the only means they have to access modern health care), critics point to issues of questionable ethical behavior and the unscientific nature of some trials which can lead to many negative outcomes for patients. 

I was impressed by the actions of some of the people featured in this article who continue to willingly participate in these trials even after facing adverse results. One elderly woman " threw up every day for two weeks, yet stuck to the regimen" while undergoing a weight-loss procedure which required injecting herself in the stomach daily. One doctor reported an experimental trial in which participants experienced a rapid allergic reaction, "Red dots started appearing all over, right in front of my eyes. They appeared in just a few minutes. It was really shocking".

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/27/business/global/russians-eagerly-participating-in-medical-experiments-despite-risks.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0