Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi rejected a government-drafted law on the clinical trial, and sent a letter expressing his objection towards some articles.
The clinical trial law is responsible for governing the organisation of medical research in Egypt, and was approved by the parliament in May amid huge controversy.
In his letter, Al-Sisi said that he followed the law discussions and realised that there are increasing tensions over controversial issues, which coincided with comments of some scientific and professional circles on some of the law’s articles.
The president urged the parliament to reconsider the draft law, making comments on articles 4, 5, 9, 11, 19, 20, and 22.
The president has the right to reject, or object against any law, in accordance with the constitutional article 123.
Parliament Speaker Ali Abdel Aal declared the president’s stance during the first plenary session of the fourth legislative round.
Abdel Aal praised the comments of the president, saying that they indicate the vitality of political life, and the healthy interaction among all authorities.
He further noted that it is the second time in Egypt’s parliamentary history, that a president objects against a law approved by parliament. He also added that it also marks the first time for the current parliament.
The Egyptian Doctors and Pharmacists Syndicates previously expressed some scientific and ethical concerns over the law, stressing that research and medical interventions must be according to international standards in order to maintain Egyptian patients’ safety.
The law aims to set ethical and medical standards for research. It imposes strict controls on trials that were conducted in hospitals outside the Ministry of Health’s control, as it includes articles to punish those who will abide by it, and further stipulates clinical research studies must to be sent to the General Intelligence Service for questioning.
