Tighter control at UCT after Aids tonic probe
9 November 2006, 15:20
The University of Cape Town is to tighten its regulations on safe laboratory practices following an investigation into Professor Girish Kotwal's controversial association with a herbal tonic touted as an HIV and Aids treatment.
"Our institutional attention to safe laboratory practice has to be reinforced. This is the only reported failure across a wide range of laboratories, but one is one too many," said vice-chancellor Njabulo Ndebele.
This follows the conclusion of UCT's three-month investigation into Kotwal's links with a Stellenbosch company which carried out tests on a Secomet V drug without the approval of the Medicines Control Council's clinical trials division.
A joint statement by Kotwal, who was "temporarily suspended" on July 3, and UCT said he would resign by the end of the year.
UCT also announced it was cancelling a royalty agreement entered into with Secomet.
"Our institutional attention to safe laboratory practice has to be reinforced. This is the only reported failure across a wide range of laboratories, but one is one too many," said vice-chancellor Njabulo Ndebele.
This follows the conclusion of UCT's three-month investigation into Kotwal's links with a Stellenbosch company which carried out tests on a Secomet V drug without the approval of the Medicines Control Council's clinical trials division.
A joint statement by Kotwal, who was "temporarily suspended" on July 3, and UCT said he would resign by the end of the year.
UCT also announced it was cancelling a royalty agreement entered into with Secomet.
- This article was originally published on page 7 of The Cape Argus on November 09, 2006
Johannesburg
