Compensation for up to 500 people: Novartis will pay millions of francs to drug test victims

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Novartis contributes 4 million francs in solidarity contributions for drug test victims at the TG psychiatric clinic in Münsterlingen. Thurgau expects a maximum of 500 people to be eligible, which would result in costs of 12.5 million francs.

The canton of Thurgau has been able to reach an agreement with the pharmaceutical company Novartis to share the costs of solidarity contributions, the canton of Thurgau wrote in a statement on Friday. This means that the pharmaceutical industry will cover approximately one-third of the expected costs for drug testing victims.

In the Münsterlingen psychiatric clinic between 1940 and 1980, unapproved drugs were administered to unwitting patients. The psychiatrist Roland Kuhn, who is considered the discoverer of the first antidepressant, was responsible for this.

Maximum 500 requests

According to a statement from the Canton of Thurgau, people who are documented as having received test preparations in psychiatric clinics in the Canton of Thurgau between 1940 and 1980 have the right to request financial compensation of 25,000 francs each. Any heirs are excluded. Based on the cases known to date from the Münsterlingen psychiatric clinic, the canton estimates the number of possible applications at a maximum of 500.

In 2021, a scientific study commissioned by the Canton of Thurgau revealed the enormous scale of testing with psychotropic drugs in the Münsterlingen clinic at the time. The pharmaceutical industry in Basel benefited from the human experiments. Novartis is considered the successor to the companies involved at the time.

Canton Thurgau in the pioneering role

Since from the current perspective the pharmaceutical industry bears a certain moral responsibility, the Canton of Thurgau expected a significant share of the costs, the canton wrote in its message to the Grand Council. The Ministry of Finance and Social Affairs, led by Government Councilor Urs Martin (SVP), has conducted corresponding negotiations with the pharmaceutical industry.

The canton of Thurgau plays a pioneering role in Switzerland by compensating victims of drug tests at the time. Payments of solidarity contributions are regulated by a new law that will enter into force in 2025 and will be valid until 2033.

“Many affected people suffered psychological and physical suffering with negative social consequences as a result of the drug tests,” the government council wrote in its message to the cantonal parliament. This has yet to be discussed in law.(SDA)

Source:Blick