Supreme Court adjourns plea seeking transparency in clinical trial of vaccines used in emergency: The Supreme Court on Thursday has adjourned its hearing plea filed by Dr Jacob Puliyel seeking transparency in clinical trial data for the vaccines being administered in India under emergency use authorization as well as seeking a stay on the vaccine mandates that are being issued by authorities in various parts of the country. A two-judge bench of Justice L. Nageswara Rao and B.R. Gavai on the last hearing had observed that there is a limited scope in this plea as to whether central govt policy was in accordance with expert opinion or not. The Supreme Court was previously informed by the Centre that it took a decision not to make Covid Vaccination Mandatory. On the last hearing, appearing for the Centre Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati has submitted that data in relation to the people get vaccinated. She said, for adult, 96 percent adults have been given first dose and 80 percent adults have got the second dose. Now having achieved 96 percent coverage, the whole aspect of challenging the vaccination has paled into insignificance. Justice L Nageswara Rao said petitioner has not challenged the vaccination but he has challenged mandatory vaccination. Centre has taken a decision not to make vaccination mandatory so far, Bhati replied. The plea has also sought directions to the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation to disclose the detailed minutes of the meeting of the Subject Expert Committee and the NTGAI with regard to the vaccines as directed by the 59th Parliamentary Standing Committee Report and the members who constituted the committee for the purpose of each approval meeting. It also sought directions to the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation to disclose the reasoned decision of the DCGI granting approval or rejecting an application for emergency use authorisation of vaccines and the documents and reports submitted to the DCGI in support of such applications. Further, it sought directions to the respondents to disclose the post vaccination data regarding adverse events, vaccines who got infected with Covid, those who needed hospitalisation and those who died after such infection post vaccination and direct the Respondents to widely publicised the data collection of such adverse event through the advertisement of toll free telephone numbers where such complaints can be registered. In addition, to declare that vaccine mandates, in any manner whatsoever, even by way of making it a precondition for accessing any benefits or services, is a violation of rights of citizens and unconstitutional. Case Name- Jacob Puliyel Vs Union of India & Ors
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