Coronavirus | Vaccine trial volunteer moves Madras High Court to declare Covishield unsafe

The Madras High Court on Friday ordered notices, returnable by March 26, to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Drugs Controller General of India (DGCI) and Director General of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) on a writ petition to declare the Covishield vaccine unsafe since it had reportedly led to adverse effects on the litigant, who had volunteered for clinical trials. Justice Abdul Quddhose ordered issuance of notices to the CEOs of Serum Institute of India Private Limited, AstraZeneca UK and also the chairman of the ethics committee of Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, a deemed to be university in Chennai, on the petition filed by Asif Riaz, a business consultant, who also sought ₹5 crore in compensation.