- http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/jan102006/foreign172354200619.asp

Nepalese soldiers used as guinea pigs by US?

From Sudeshna Sarkar DH News Service Kathmandu:

The fate of the volunteer soldiers is also not known. Medical researchers in the US and Nepal are now raising concerns that the US intended to use Nepal, one of the poorest countries in the world, as a guinea pig to find a drug that would help US soldiers.

It could be a plot straight out of a Robin Cook medical thriller but it really happened. Between 1995 and 2003, the US government carried out the trial of a new vaccine for Hepatitis E on Nepal soldiers and now, that the vaccine is reported to be successful, questions are being raised about how ethical the test was.

The story goes back to September 1995, when Peter Bodde, then deputy chief of mission at the US Embassy in Nepal, sought the permission of Nepal’s Ministry of Health to establish a Nepal unit of the Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences (AFRIMS), the foreign branch of the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research that conducts military-related biomedical research in the US. GlaxoSmithKline was developing a Hepatitis E vaccine and the US government wanted to test it on humans to see how safe and effective it was.

The Nepal government allowed a trial on about 8,000 “volunteers” in Lalitpur city, declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco, but the plan had to be shelved when the deal triggered protests from NGOs, media and local government officials, who said the mayor had not consulted them before giving his approval.

‘Bribes for consent’

The then deputy mayor Ramesh Chitrakar also alleged he and other members were offered watches and other items to consent.

After headlines like “Belgium drugs to be tested on Nepalese bodies” began to appear in the media, AFRIMS approached the Royal Nepalese Army, who agreed to provide 2,000 soldiers to “volunteer”. At that time, the US government was providing Nepal with substantial military aid and training to fight the Maoists and activists say the RNA was not in a position to say no. The trial ended in 2003 and recently, Glaxo said the vaccine was found effective. However, the US government is yet to announce any plans for making the vaccine available in Nepal.

The fate of the volunteer soldiers is also not known. Medical researchers in the US and Nepal are now raising concerns that the US intended to use Nepal, one of the poorest countries in the world, as a guinea pig to find a drug that would help US soldiers.

- http://www.sajha.com/sajha/html/openThread.cfm?forum=2&ThreadID=26573

It is not new trend, people in thirld world are doomed to be testing...whatever.
But, there are these guidelines of the declaration of Helsinki and Tokyo for human experiments ethics. I hope those were met, or else the research itself will not be recognized, and now if that was complied, either by coersion or temptation or threat shows the spineless, greedy and selfish nature of we...coward decendentants of once brave Gorkha's.

Neither comparison nor condemnation is necessary for being poor.
-Shiv

Well if the Nepal government allowed, them to do the rest, ofcourse they will. If someone is to be blamed then its our own government who doesnt even know how to make a solid agreement unless they were reasonably paid.... And also what about our own doctors testing Indian medicine? So before we try to find faults on others we need to see how moneyminded our own people are--which makes others so easy to take advantage. No need to wonder about such news when we got such a weak government who let others use them as a toy. I think its a fine balance between two evils here.

rest=test

"coward decendentants of once brave Gorkha's."

Some strong words eh!

Nothing new in this story. Ranas and Shahas have been selling Gurkhas like sheep and goat to foreigners for centuries. The sad part is these sheep and goat worship the butcher as god. What to do, some animals are more stupid than others on this planet.

(Caveat: the originator of this post is a serving Gurkha in the British Army.)

shaiva,

I may well lack your surefire ability, a military man as I am, to grasp the full thrust of complex debates in Sajha forums but one thing is clear having now read your post: that you have a very low opinion of Gurkhas. I understand that much at least, loud and clear. Most startling is your decidedly brash manner in the way you go on to typecast Gurkhas as being plain, 'stupid' sycophants, and this obviously sits less comfortably with my pickled head - excuse my expression -, hence this post! So forgive me if I can carry on with my whingeing.


"Ranas and Shahas have been selling Gurkhas like sheep and goat to foreigners for centuries."
You equate their collective identity to that of 'sheep and goat[s]', because (a) the rulers have 'sold' them to 'foreigners for centuries'? (b) or worse still, they've been allowing themselves to be 'sold'? Fine, your own interpretation but one that's a brazenly rude comparison to be making for a start, given the obvious absence of verifiable facts/historical data to back it up. But then again you're entitled to your opinion however irrational or ill-informed, in much the same way I'm entitled to refute it or accept, so that's okay. And I'm less keen to dwell on the semantic intricacies of your sweeping statement, nor do I want to go on banging on about Gurkha history. So, let me leave it at that.


"The sad part is these sheep and goat worship the butcher as god."
Butcher? Who? Whoever it is but you fail to say how - categorically. My deduction thus: ditto above.


"What to do, some animals are more stupid than others on this planet."
Ho, this is where I find your take on dare I say, Gurkha discourse - more unsettling than in your preceding statements. Fine, the 3400 odd British Gurkhas (and also thousands of Indian Gorkhas) are all animals and they're 'more stupid than others'. Am I right then to assume that the word quote others unquote implies the 'clever' lot? Surely a bizarre notion of an IQ-based 'class' category under which only those of your ilk can be grouped together, purely because you had never served or never had to serve in a foreign army. Now that is such a condescending view to have for one whose identity is so inextricably linked with that of the country both you and they hail from. That much is clear at least. More so clear is that you appear to harbour an too familiar brand of the Nepali mind set which seeks to propagate the age-old 'lahure' stereotype by hurling such acid invectives at those who do feel justifiably proud of upholding a unique reputation that the name 'Gurkha' brings with it. Something that has done Nepal service rather than disservice. Labelling one group or entity with such base adjectives is all but a grisly show of arrogance on your part - nothing else. My two-pence worth, I'm afraid!

I'll rest my case.
Carpe diem

Note: I thought, the discussions in this thread were on Nepali soldiers as opposed to on Gurkhas! The name did somehow pop up, so I had to say something.

Well Done Sandhurst Lahure!.
To Those who condemn Gurkhas...who probably don't have any idea how much pride and respect they have bought for any Nepalese living abroad (esp, UK) is apalling.They are someone Nepal and Nepalese should be proud of. I am not a Gurkha myself, i serve in the British IS,but i see their activity in close proximity.Prince William is now protected by Gurkhas for instance, British people feel safe with the mention of Gurkhas in the news. They are very well respected and feared of. So i would suggest to keep your opinion to yourself if you are not educated enough before diving in with utterly grisly and hideous remarks.

Did the Nepalese Soldiers know that they were being tested? If they knew then probably they got paid.

The low ranking soldiers from the Royal Nepal Army have been the most used and abused since years. They have been used/abused in construction of the private houses of their army officers and civial top bureacrats, and in the UN peace keeping force to collect funds for the welfare of the army officers.

It is humiliating for soldiers who were to defend the country from outside enemies when they are made to wash the pettycoats of the army officers' wives. They are NOT trained to respect the democratic movements. Rather they are told to crush it by force.

It is equally humiliating for the country and soldiers when we heard the news of rape cases by soldiers who are serving in the UN peacekeeping force.

When the soliders are made to serve as domestic servants and daily labourers in constructing the houses of the officers, where is the shine of the Gorkhali soldiers when it comes to Royal Nepal Army?

Guinea pigs or not, willingly or unknowingly, one thing the soldiers, not the officers, have done worthwhile to the entire mankind by the testing of the Hep-E vaccine.

I think it is a very worthwhile cause. Thank you, soldiers. By allowing yourself to test on Hep-E vaccine, you have helped the world. Way to go.

And, you rum and whisky drinking officers of the Royal Nepal Army! lazy bums. You are the main cause for taking the country to the brink of conflict and bankruptcy. Shame on you. Everytime you take a peg of scotch, just think that you are drinking a blood of Nepal ama. What more can I say? While the country is begging from donors for aid, you are enjoying your life as if you are protecting the country.