‘Untested’ shot for cancer gets Centre SC notice

The Supreme Court on Monday issued a notice to the Centre on a PIL seeking the quashing of licences pertaining to two vaccines for cervical cancer, HT reports.

The Supreme Court on Monday issued a notice to the Centre on a PIL seeking the quashing of licences pertaining to two vaccines for cervical cancer.

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The petitioner, Kalpana Mehta, claimed that approval for the use of the drug was given without carrying out adequate research on safety aspects. She alleged that the vaccines — Gardasil and Cervarix — were unproven and hazardous human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines.

A bench agreed to hear the plea after it was alleged that the Drugs Controller issued licences for the vaccines despite a 2010 directive by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare that adequate research should be done before granting permission.

The court’s order came on Mehta’s petition, pleading that licences be suspended and the vaccines be recalled because there was no scientific basis to allow their administration. “The two companies have also flouted Indian laws with impunity,” the petition by Mehta claimed.