Taking a serious view of alleged use of human beings as guinea pigs for clinical trials by drug companies, the Supreme Court today sought Centre and state governments' replies to the allegation. A Bench of Justices R M Lodha and A R Dave also directed the Union government to come out with details of any deaths, side effects and compensation paid to the victims or their family members.

The apex court's direction came during the hearing of a PIL petition, filed by an NGO, alleging large scale clinical drug trials across the country by various pharmaceutical firms using Indian citizens as guinea pigs. The Bench however, refrained from passing any blanket ban on the trials.