The Cambodian government is attempting to coerce local NGOs to test an unproven medication on drug users, according to materials obtained by Asia Catalyst. Authorities have threatened to shut down NGOs that refuse to administer the drug, and arrest drug users who refuse to take the test.

According to sources in Phnom Penh, a Vietnamese company, Ben Tre Fataco, has teamed up with Cambodian health authorities to promote an unproven herbal detoxification medicine, “Lotus”, as a new “cure” for drug dependency.

According to a WHO briefing note, yesterday staff of the Secretary General of the National Authority for Combating Drugs (NACD-SG) approached the drop-in center of Korsang, a leading harm reduction organization in Phnom Penh, and informed them that Korsang was required to administer the drug to ten clients of the drop-in center as a test of the drug’s effectiveness.

When Korsang requested evidence that the drug had been registered for use in Cambodia, and said they would require informed and voluntary consent in writing from any participants in the “Lotus” test, the NACD-SG refused these terms.

According to Korsang, the NACD-SG threatened Korsang with closure in one week if they did not administer the test, and threatened to arrest any drug users who did not voluntarily participate in the test. Reportedly, the NACD-SG also approached another harm reduction group, Mith Samlanh/Friends, received the same reply, and threatened to terminate the license for Mith Samlanh/Friends’ needle exchange program.

These coercive practices violate international rights law and the most fundamental ethical norms in medical research. The World Medical Association’s Declaration of Helsinki  requires that participants in medical research be fully informed volunteers.

Forcing NGOs to administer tests on drug users without informed consent would also violate the International Covenant on Economic and Social Rights, which clearly prohibits “coercive medical treatments”. Shutting down NGOs because they refuse to participate in testing programs would violate Cambodians’ right to freedom of association, protected by article 22 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Cambodia has ratified both these international rights laws.