A panel of doctors from AIIMS will probe into the infant trial death cases. It has appointed a five-member committee on Tuesday. It will probe the deaths of 49 babies at the institute during clinical trials over the past two-and-a-half years. The team is directed to submit its report within a week. The union ministry of health has supported the institute in this matter. It has directed the institute to make a panel of doctors following pressure by some political parties on baby death issue.

Keeping the stand of government, health minister A Ramadoss gave a clean chit to the premier institutes. He maintained that deaths are due to already ill heath of babies. He ruled out the role of doctors in the death issue. He said that the government is thinking on a new bill on clinical trials.

A NGO had sought an answer from AIIMS under RTI act. The AIIMS in the answer maintained that total of 49 deaths were recorded since January 1, 2006. The institute on Monday clarified that the deaths were because of life threatening diseases to the children. The head of the patient department, Dr.V K Paul ruled out doctors’ role in the deaths.

The panel is headed by Dr Madhuri Behari from the department of neurology. The other members of the team include Dr Renu Saxena, Dr Y K Gupta and Dr Balaram Bhargava from cardiology department.