HC seeks govt reply on plea against new vaccines

 Delhi High Court has issued a notice to the Union health ministry, asking for a reply to a petition which alleges new vaccines are being introduced without proper medical research by the authorities. A division bench of Chief Justice Ajit Prakash Shah and Justice S Muralidhar said, "This is a serious issue. It shows medical facilities provided by the government are a mockery." The HC asked the health ministry to file a reply to the notice by January 13. The court was hearing a petition that alleged

vaccines are being introduced - under the influence of vaccine manufacturers and international agencies like the World Health Organization - into the public health system by the government without proper epidemiological and medical studies. "We 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," advocate Prashant Bhushan said in his petition filed before the court. The petition also alleged that vaccines which are either of little utility or are not required at all are being introduced and promoted by the government "at the behest of these vested interests".