SC notice to Centre, others on plea seeking disclosure of data on Covid vaccine clinical trials

The Supreme Court on Monday sought responses from the Centre and others on a plea seeking directions for disclosure of data regarding clinical trials of COVID-19 vaccines.

A bench of justices L Nageswara Rao and Hrishikesh Roy issued notice on the plea, and asked the Centre and others to respond to it within four weeks.

While hearing the plea, the bench referred to the problem of “vaccine hesitancy” in the country and asked advocate Prashant Bhushan, who was appearing for the petitioner, as to whether entertaining the petition would not create doubt in the minds of the citizens over vaccines.

While making it clear that neither it is an “anti-vaccine petition” nor the petitioner is seeking to stop Covid vaccination in the country, Bhushan said transparency on the issue was needed and disclosure of data would rather clear all the doubts.

The bench was hearing a plea seeking directions for disclosure of data on clinical trials of COVID-19 vaccines and also on post vaccination.