-The Economic Times The government must explain to the Supreme Court, with scientific evidence, why the pentavalent vaccine, now introduced into the immunisation programme, should not be banned. The vaccine is designed to combat five childhood diseases: diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, Hepatitis B, pneumonia and meningitis. So far, more than 82,000 doses have been administered and there have been 29 cases of adverse effects after immunisation. After examining the evidence, it is unclear...

-The Hindu Lax monitoring, poor public engagement and inadequate training to vaccinators have dealt a serious blow to the crucial pentavalent immunisation programme The Pentavalent vaccine, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare's latest addition to the immunisation programme, has run into a storm. The Supreme Court has sent a notice to the Ministry asking why the vaccine should not be banned in the country. The vaccine is no stranger to controversy. A...

-The Hindu     Cites "high risk" of occurrence of avian influenza after monsoon as in the past The Centre has alerted States on post-monsoon outbreak of highly contagious avian influenza or bird flu, which has the potential to be transmitted from birds and poultry to human beings (zoonotic risk). In an advisory to the governments, the Centre said that as in the past there was a "high risk" of occurrence of avian influenza after...

-The Times of India NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to examine a PIL alleging a sharp increase in infant deaths after administration of pentavalent vaccine, which replaced the tried and tested vaccines to fight five deadly diseases under the universal immunization programme (UIP). PIL petitioner Yogesh Jain, a former pediatrician in AIIMS and now a public health physician at Jan Swasthya Sahyog in Bilaspur district, alleged a conspiracy in...

-IANS Bangalore: A leading journal of medical ethics has charged the World Health Organization (WHO) with promoting the Pentavalent vaccine in countries, including India, though it is known to have caused adverse reactions and deaths in children. In a hard-hitting editorial, the latest issue of the Indian Journal of Medical Ethics (IJME), has accused the WHO of promoting the vaccine "by stating falsely that no adverse event following immunisation (AEFI) has ever...