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New Delhi: The Supreme Court recently addressed a significant public health concern regarding the efficacy of Intra Dermal Rabies Vaccines (IDRV) administered to humans. The court, in response to a plea, underscored the seriousness of the issue and directed the Additional Solicitor General and Standing Counsel of Kerala to provide a response within four weeks. This directive came from the bench comprising Justices CT Ravikumar and Rajesh Bindal, who acknowledged the gravity of the matter. The Court ordered that-
“Taking note of the seriousness of the issues involved, we request the learned ASG and also the Standing Counsel for the State of Kerala to get instructions and file response expeditiously, at any rate, within a period of four weeks from today.”
The origins of this legal action can be traced back to a petition filed by the Kerala Pravasi Association. The petition not only urges the formation of an independent expert committee to evaluate the effectiveness of the Rabies Veterinary Vaccine administered to dogs in India but also seeks a similar examination of IDRV for humans. The motivation behind this plea lies in the unfortunate instances where individuals, despite receiving post-exposure prophylaxis after being bitten by dogs, succumbed to rabies. The petition highlights the resulting questions about the treatment protocols and, more crucially, the efficacy of the vaccines.
The Supreme Court had initially taken notice of this petition on October 31, 2022, when a Bench of Justices Ajay Rastogi and CT Ravikumar issued a notice. Subsequently, on July 06, 2023, the matter was listed, and the State of Kerala was included as a respondent.
The petitioner’s concerns extend beyond vaccine efficacy. They draw attention to instances where the rabies vaccine reached the state within 14 days of manufacture, while the manufacturing and the testing process itself takes up a minimum of 3-4 months and also emphasizes the rising number of rabies-infected dogs as a growing concern. In response, the petition advocates for a comprehensive inquiry into the quality of anti-rabies vaccines administered to dogs, contending that addressing the source of rabies in dogs is pivotal for effective disease control.
In addition to the call for an expert committee, the petitioners have urged for wide publicity and the uniform implementation of the National Guidelines for Rabies Prophylaxis, 2019. They specifically emphasize the need for periodic revisions aligned with the latest developments endorsed by the World Health Organization (WHO).
This legal action serves as a crucial step towards addressing a pressing public health issue, with the Supreme Court playing a pivotal role in ensuring a timely and effective response to the concerns raised by the petitioner. The outcome of this case has the potential to impact public health protocols and guidelines surrounding rabies prevention and treatment in India.