Clinical trial figures of Rs 50 crore, don't you have a worm in your mind?

New Delhi, 9 August 2021 Monday

The apex court on Monday issued notices to the central government, ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research), Drug Controller of India, as well as vaccine manufacturers Bharat Biotech Limited and Serum Institute of India on a public interest application regarding corona vaccine.

The petition, filed by Jacob Puliel, a former member of the National Technical Advisory Group on Vaccines, seeks disclosure of clinical trials of the corona vaccine and post-vaccination effects. The petition also seeks to stop the implementation of the decision by state governments to make vaccination mandatory.

A bench of Justice L Nageshwar Rao and Justice Aniruddha Bose directed all the respondents to respond within four weeks.

Earlier in the hearing, the court had told the petitioner's lawyer Prashant Bhushan that the bench appreciated the fact that the vaccination impact figures were showing concern for bringing transparency.

However, the court expressed concern that thinking about this at this stage would create doubts in the minds of more than 200 million people who have been vaccinated, while confusion will arise in the minds of those whose vaccines are pending.

At this stage, Bhushan clarified that the non-disclosure petition is not an 'anti-vaccination petition'. It is only a matter of clarifying the clinical trial and the effect after vaccination. It is necessary to do so as per the rules framed by ICMR.

Bhushan added that various state governments of the country have instructed the people for compulsory vaccination, stating that people without vaccines will be dropped from service.