Professor Paul Nyame, Rector of the College of Physicians and Surgeons on Friday advocated the establishment of Medical Research Council to regulate and supervise research activities.
"There is no regulatory mechanism for the control of research in this country, no rules as passed by Parliament to promote scientific and ethical standards in medical and dental education".
Mr. Nyame said this when he made a presentation on "Training within the Law" at this year's national symposium on Continuing Professional Development for southern sector of the Ghana Medical Association.
He noted that research was not only a process, practice or employment but formed part of training of health professionals.
"In medicine it is quite probable that this would involve patients and there is the need to have some sort of regulatory mechanism to control research", he added.
He said research of trainers, trainees and others needed to be regulated and cited the recent incidence in northern Nigeria where Pifzer Pharmaceuticals undertook a meningitis trial with Trovacloxacillin (TROVAN), which created some problems. The Nigerian government had to sue Pfizer for seven billion dollars.
Prof. Nyame explained that there were committees in institutions that had local rules regulating research and there was the need to have a legal body that would supervise and identify research areas.
He noted that medical research was peculiar and did not fall in the activities of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, hence the demand for a medical research council.
Dr Kofi Adadey, Chairman of the Medical and Dental Council who spoke on "Regulations within the Law" said the Medical and Dental Decree 1972 was currently under review whilst the Bill, was being studied by the Council.