Medical council to study the effects of Bhopal gas disaster

The methyl isocyanate (MIC) leak from Bhopal's Union Carbide factory 25 years ago claimed thousands of lives and caused disability in many more, but proper medical research into the effects of the toxic chemical has never been conducted.

Soon after the disaster, the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) commissioned a study to monitor the long-term effects of MIC exposure. But the study was terminated in 1994 and its findings were not made public. No research has been conducted since and lakhs of people who continue to suffer from MIC exposure only receive symptomatic treatment.

But the ICMR is again planning to conduct a study, and will probably commission it by March 2010.

"The gas tragedy could have been an opportunity to develop an antidote to MIC exposure. But not much research was done," said Dr VM Katoch, director-general, ICMR. "This year, we called for research proposals and have received three. We hope to get more by March. The ICMR will act as a catalyst for the research."

The research will focus on genetic disorders, low birth weight, congenital malformations, developmental disorders and biological markers of MIC exposure. "There has been, and will continue to be, a generational impact of the gas leak on the people of Bhopal," said CSE's associate director Chandra Bhushan. "In several cases, the MIC must have caused mutation in the genes of victims. The ICMR must conduct studies keeping these factors in mind. Also, we hope the ICMR would make its findings public.”