The Delhi high court slammed the Centre on Wednesday for introducing "irrational" vaccines without conducting research. It directed the Centre to consider every aspect before launching any vaccine into the national immunisation programme.

"The government should look into the side-effects of the vaccine and the costs involved in introducing it," a division bench of chief justice Dipak Misra and justice Manmohan said. The bench has asked the government to formulate a policy and has slated the matter for hearing on December 8.

The government has already constituted a high-level committee headed by scientist Dr NK Ganguly to study the new vaccination policy, additional solicitor general AS Chandhiok told the bench.

The court was hearing a petition filed by retired health secretary KB Saxena, who alleged the government "in the absence of a rational vaccine policy, was introducing newer vaccines having little or no utility into the national immunisation programme, at the behest of vested interests" such as WHO without proper research.

Saxena's plea sought a stay on the introduction of Hepatitis B, Pneumococcal, Hib and Pentavalent vaccines in the universal immunisation programme, till the time an independent body, devoid of conflict of interest, carries out requisite studies.

"At a time when the government has failed to ensure every child receives these vaccines, new vaccines of questionable utility and efficacy are being introduced in an arbitrary and irrational manner, and at huge cost," advocate Prashant Bhushan argued.

The petitioners have, therefore, sought judicial intervention for the formulation of a "rule-based rational vaccine policy".