Kerala medical labs cry foul over TV sting

The media is being used as a tool by MNC giants who are entering the medical laboratories market, it was alleged Tuesday following a sting operation by a TV channel in Kerala.

Some people of a TV channel mixed the blood of a dog and a hen and gave it to three small and medium laboratories under the guise of human blood for routine blood tests. The results showed positive for cholesterol and diabetes.

The TV channel questioned the efficiency of the laboratories.

"We strongly feel that the media is being used as a tool by giant multinational companies who are entering the medical laboratories market," said Sudeep Kumar, joint secretary of the Laboratory Owners Association pointed and out that this is unethical journalism.

"The giants...want to finish small and medium sized laboratories and it's most unfortunate that the media is being used to tarnish us by engaging in sting operations like this," said Kumar.

B. Mohanachandran, a senior veterinarian surgeon told IANS that "only through an antigen/antibody tests can the blood of human and animals can be differentiated and mind you animals also have cholesterol".

"Under normal circumstances it's only in medico-legal cases that detailed tests are done on blood samples to establish if its human blood. In this case it's not fair to blame the laboratories," said Mohanachandran.