A bad sign for vaccine trust

• Several petitions have been filed regarding vaccines, primarily COVID-19, rabies, and rotavirus vaccines.
• These petitions are part of the larger ‘anti-vax’ movement, fuelled by conspiracy theories.
• Petitioners have raised concerns about the transparency of clinical trial data, inadequate disclosure of sideeffects, monitoring of vaccine-related adverse events, and compensation in cases where vaccines may have caused deaths or serious adverse events.
• Trust in the regulator appears abysmal, with petitioners requesting courts to form independent committees to re-evaluate clinical trial data.
• The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has been opacity with vaccine approval, with key regulatory decisions and clinical trial data not disclosed.
• The need for transparency in vaccine approval processes is emphasized, with the CDSCO urged to publicly disclose all raw clinical trial data and its own internal analysis.
• The need for citizens to be informed about possible side-effects of a vaccine is also a concern.
• A transparent pharmacovigilance system, known as an ‘adverse event following immunisation’ (AEFI), is needed to collect high-quality data on adverse events due to vaccination.
• Compensation for those who lost family members due to COVID-19 vaccine side-effects is another issue.
• The government should not step in and provide compensation unless it has agreed to indemnify vaccine manufacturers.
• The Health Minister should assure petitioners that the government is aware of their concerns and promise a policy response, preferably through a new law.