New Delhi The All India Institute of Medical Sciences on Tuesday set up a special committee to probe deaths of 49 children during clinical trials at the premier hospital.
The five-member committee, headed by neuro department head Madhuri Bihari, would submit its report within a week, official sources said.

The committee was set up after Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss directed the AIIMS Director to probe the deaths expeditiously.

The issue had come up for discussion in the Governing Body meeting.

In reply to an RTI application, the AIIMS administration had said that as many as 49 children have died during clinical trials of new medicines in the premier institute here during the past two-and-a-half years.

The AIIMS administration, however, said all the 49 children were mortally sick and died naturally and not due to any drugs used in the trials.