Forcing Aids drugs on deprived US children]

[Guest guest]

>

> GSK linked to trials forcing Aids drugs on deprived US children

> By Jason Nisse

> 28 November 2004

 

 

> GlaxoSmithKline will be accused this week of backing drug trials in

> the US in

> which underprivileged children were forced to test Aids treatments

> against

> their will.

 

 

> The trials have been taking place in New York under the auspices of the

> Administration for Children's Services, the body that looks after the

> welfare of

> children in New York City.

 

 

> The ACS has an agreement with the Pediatric Aids Clinical Trials Group,

> supported by GSK and other drug companies, to test treatments on

> HIV-positive

> children. No tests can take place on children without parental consent

> and drug

> companies have had great difficulty in the past obtaining such consent

> for

> Aids drug trials.

 

 

> However, the ACS is deemed to be the legal guardian for many

> HIV-positive

> children. According to a BBC2 documentary, Guinea Pig Kids, to be

> shown on

> Tuesday, the ACS has forced children to be involved in these trials,

> removing

> them from foster homes if the foster parent did not comply and even

> physically

> making the children take the drugs.

 

 

> The programme interviewed the family of Garfield Momodu, an HIV-positive

> child who was removed from his grandmother and taken into care when

> she stopped

> giving him the drugs prescribed in the trials. Researchers also

> interviewed an

> unnamed child who said he and others were physically forced to take

> drugs

> through a peg-tube inserted into their stomachs.

 

 

> GSK admits that it supplied drugs for four trials conducted in New

> York by

> the PACTG and also supplied drugs and funds for another trial run by

> Columbia

> University Medical Center. The drug company admitted that it and

> others in the

> industry " did know about the clinical trial design, but they are not

> directly involved in the recruitment, enrolment or participation of

> patients in

> these trials " .

 

 

> It added that the US regulator, the Food and Drug Administration,

> encouraged

> the studies. " Clinical trials involving children and orphans are

> therefore

> legal and not unusual, " GSK said in a statement.

> The ACS says children were selected for trials only after a rigorous

> vetting

> process and has denied that it used any strong-arm tactics.

> _http://news.independent.co.uk/low_res/story.jsp?story=587418 & host=3 & dir=94_

> <http://news.independent.co.uk/low_res/story.jsp?story=587418 & host=3 & dir=94_>

>

> (http://news.independent.co.uk/low_res/story.jsp?story=587418 & host=3 & dir=94)

>

<http://news.independent.co.uk/low_res/story.jsp?story=587418 & host=3 & dir=94%29>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

The original researcher who did the actual investigation in the center is Liam Scheff. You can read it at;

 

http://nypress.com/17/28/news & columns/LiamScheff.cfm

 

http://aras.ab.ca/articles/house/thehouse.html

 

http://nyc.indymedia.org/newswire/display/134445/index.php

 

This is a horrifying situation that should not be occuring in "the land of the free." It should not happen anywhere, but strongly calls into question our civility and stance on human rights as a nation.

 

Sandi Lenfestey

 

 

 

In a message dated 12/8/2004 7:17:55 PM Pacific Standard Time, 121 writes:

>> GSK linked to trials forcing Aids drugs on deprived US children> By Jason Nisse> 28 November 2004> GlaxoSmithKline will be accused this week of backing drug trials in > the US in which underprivileged children were forced to test Aids treatments > against their will.> The trials have been taking place in New York under the auspices of the > Administration for Children's Services, the body that looks after the > welfare of > children in New York City.> The ACS has an agreement with the Pediatric Aids Clinical Trials Group, > supported by GSK and other drug companies, to test treatments on > HIV-positive > children. No tests can take place on children without parental consent > and drug > companies have had great difficulty in the past obtaining such consent > for> Aids drug trials.> However, the ACS is deemed to be the legal guardian for many > HIV-positive > children. According to a BBC2 documentary, Guinea Pig Kids, to be > shown on > Tuesday, the ACS has forced children to be involved in these trials, > removing > them from foster homes if the foster parent did not comply and even > physically > making the children take the drugs.> The programme interviewed the family of Garfield Momodu, an HIV-positive > child who was removed from his grandmother and taken into care when > she stopped > giving him the drugs prescribed in the trials. Researchers also > interviewed an> unnamed child who said he and others were physically forced to take > drugs > through a peg-tube inserted into their stomachs.> GSK admits that it supplied drugs for four trials conducted in New > York by > the PACTG and also supplied drugs and funds for another trial run by > Columbia > University Medical Center. The drug company admitted that it and > others in the> industry "did know about the clinical trial design, but they are not> directly involved in the recruitment, enrolment or participation of > patients in> these trials".> It added that the US regulator, the Food and Drug Administration, > encouraged > the studies. "Clinical trials involving children and orphans are > therefore> legal and not unusual," GSK said in a statement.> The ACS says children were selected for trials only after a rigorous > vetting > process and has denied that it used any strong-arm tactics. > _http://news.independent.co.uk/low_res/story.jsp?story=587418 & host=3 & dir=94_ > <http://news.independent.co.uk/low_res/story.jsp?story=587418 & host=3 & dir=94_> >> (http://news.independent.co.uk/low_res/story.jsp?story=587418 & host=3 & dir=94) > <http://news.independent.co.uk/low_res/story.jsp?story=587418 & host=3 & dir=94%29> >>>