Country’s first uterus transplant which was conducted in Pune on May 19 has come under scanner from The Indian Council of Mediacl Research (ICMR) after it raised concerns about its procedure.
According to Times Of India, ICMR spokesperson has claimed that Pune’s Galaxy Care Laparoscopy Institute (GCLI) did not seek permission from ICMR to carry out the operation.
“No permission was sought by the Pune-based hospital. Till now, ICMR has approved uterus transplant only as an experimental procedure under a research protocol. Only a Bengaluru-based facility has been granted this permission”, said ICMR director general Dr Soumya Swaminathan.
The protocol required approval from a registered ethics committee as well as the ICMR but GCLI only secured a licence from the State’s directorate of health services.
However, Dr Shailesh Puntambekar, Oncosurgeon and medical director, GCLI told TOI that as the uterus transplant was a clinical and not an experimental procedure the permission was not required.
He added that as approval was granted from the State Government, there has not been any protocol violation and several senior doctors from the ICMR were informed.
“All three patients who have undergone the uterus transplant are doing fine and we’ve planned a press conference on Saturday. We haven’t neglected the patient’s safety”.
(Feature image source: PTI)