Review of Indian Vaccine Policy

Appeal from another e-group: The National Vaccine Policy that had been drafted by one person and presented to the media as a final document in April 2011, without any consultation is on the MOHFW website. I understand from Dr. Jacob Puliyel that the ministry is agreeable to reviewing it if it gets enough serious representations pointing out problems and contentious issues and reflecting the need for wider consultation and review. Whatever our views on vaccines as a public health technology, a reading of the policy makes clear its ignoring of basic scientific review procedures and its intent to facilitate industry in vaccine research and production with promise of public funds for their procurement even before they have been developed, or their epidemiological rationality and safety assessed. So, all the interested individuals and organisations may please read the document at http://mohfw.nic.in/WriteReadData/l892s/1084811197NATIONAL%20VACCINE%20POLICY%20BOOK.pdf and send comments to [email protected], [email protected] This appears to be an opportunity to open up what seemed to have been invincibly sealed. best wishes, Ritu (JNU)