In These New Times

Taranga

9th December, 2009

The Delhi High Court Wednesday issued a notice to the union health ministry on introduction of vaccines without proper medicalresearch.

A division bench of Chief Justice Ajit Prakash Shah and Justice S. Muralidhar said, This is a serious issue. It shows thatmedical facilities provided by the government are just mockery.

The court asked the health ministry to respond to the notice by Jan 13.

The court was hearing a petition that alleged that vaccines are being introduced in the public health system by the government under the influence of vaccine manufacturers and international agencies like the World Health Organization (WHO), without proper epidemiological and medicalstudies.

We just want to highlight how in the absence of a rational vaccine policy, newer and newer vaccines are being pushed by the government into the national immunization programme. Vaccines which are either of little utility or not required at all are being introduced and promoted by the governmentat the behest of these vested interests, advocate Prashant Bhushan said in his petition.