STAT Plus: Seizing on India’s lax standards for Covid-19 drugs, critics push for an overhaul on transparency

As Indian regulators endorse controversial treatments for Covid-19, a group of high-profile physicians and activists is urging the government to bolster transparency surrounding all drug approvals, the release of clinical trial data, and licenses issued for pharmaceutical manufacturing.

Critics have long complained that Indian government oversight of its pharmaceutical industry is lax, but the issue has intensified in recent weeks over approvals for certain medicines to combat the new coronavirus. In one instance, a drug already used to treat psoriasis was granted emergency use for Covid-19 based on a mid-stage study of just 30 patients; late-stage study requirements were waived.

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