India's Health Ministry Completes Vaccine Policy to Strengthen Immunisation Programme

The policy seeks to streamline the decision-making process on new and underutilised vaccine introduction, besides addressing issues of vaccine security, management, regulatory guidelines, vaccine research and development, and product development.

The Union Health Ministry of India has finalised a national vaccine policy to strengthen the institutional framework, processes, evidence base and framework required for decision making for strengthening the universal immunisation programme.

The policy, based on the recommendations of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI), also seeks to streamline the decision-making process on new and underutilised vaccine introduction, besides addressing issues of vaccine security, management, regulatory guidelines, vaccine research and development, and product development, it is learnt.

The policy document has specifically called for taking into consideration various factors like disease burden, safety and efficacy, affordability and financial sustainabi