Vanuatu doctors demand a statutory body to approval clinical trials

Doctors in Vanuatu are against any clinical trial in the country without the approval of a National Research or Ethics Committee. Dr Basil Leodoro, the President of the Vanuatu Medical and Dental Association said they disapproved of the idea. He said they would not allow any company or individual coming to Vanuatu to carry out a trial with an experimental drug.

“Any clinical trial in the health sector must have a National Research and Ethics Committee formed to oversee and supervise such trials. And in terms of a trial with a cannabis-derived drug on people with diabetes, the specialist clinical doctors of Vanuatu do not support it at all.” Dr Leodoro explained there is no hard evidence today that shows that marijuana can treat diabetes. “We the ni-Vanuatu specialist doctors do not agree for any clinical trial to take place in Vanuatu or to use our patients when there is no committee in place to protect the life and health of the locals.” He said marijuana is not an approved treatment for diabetes.

The Association believes that the Council of Ministries and Ministry of Health must appoint a National Research and Ethics Committee as soon as possible to oversee and safeguard the health of the people of Vanuatu. Dr Leodoro said there are a lot of articles in the newspaper which may mislead the public, especially the patients that are under their care. “We want to make it clear to the public that marijuana has not yet been tested overseas. For this reason, the Vanuatu Government and the Ministry of Health must take it into consideration before allowing such clinical trials to be carried out.”