Korean pharma company alleged to have conducted trials on employees

An executive of the Korean firm Ahngook Pharmaceuticals has been arrested after allegedly conducting illegal clinical trials on researchers within the company, reports The Korea Times.

Company president Auh Jin is suspected of breaking Pharmacy Law following an investigation by the Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, claims the report, which lead to his detention.

The employees were reportedly administered with several drugs, including antihypertensive and anticoagulant agents.

The report emphasises that the testing of these medications should be overseen by doctors, due to a high risk of internal bleeding, but no such monitoring took place. Purportedly, the researchers did not sign consent forms, did not receive regular check-ups and their blood was taken by a woman with no medical license.

Ahngook Pharmaceuticals claimed that it had used blood from beagles during the clinical trials, but analysis by the National Forensic Service has since proved the samples to be human.

The outlet also states that Jin faced a separate legal case in July after offering bribes worth $7.4 million to doctors to prescribe medicines made by the business.