The release of monkeys, under an order from Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment headed by Maneka Gandhi, will make it easier for multi-national companies to introduce their costly drugs into Indian market, while entry of a cheaper indigenous drug would be halted, a former scientist at National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) in Hyderabad, which housed the laboratory, said.

The monkeys were being used to test, among others, the first indigenous alpha-inteferon used in cancer treatment. The Indian drug was expected to cost Rs 350 per dose compared to imported products that cost Rs 1,350 per dose.

Only two out of seven cancer patients in India can afford the imported drug and continue with the treatment, cancer specialists said. The restdiscontinue treatment because they cannot afford its high price.

Suresh Advani, an expert at Tata Memorial Hospital in Mumbai, warned that work on indigenous interferon would be severely crippled by stopping experiments on animals. ``Thousands of cancer patients awaiting the affordable medicine will be disappointed,'' he said.

Ashok Vaidya, a member of the Indigenous Interferon Project Approval Committee of Hyderabad-based Shanta Biotech, said that if Hepatitis-B patients do not get interferon in time, it could lead to liver cancer.

``The retrogressive step taken by Maneka Gandhi has given a negative signal to Indians working abroad in molecular biology and biotechnology. In the current revolution in biotechnology and molecularbiology, India will be the loser,'' Vaidya said.