'Vaccine Trials Being Conducted On Bhopal Gas Tragedy Survivors Without Consent', Alleges Activist

Survivors of the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy are a part of the indigenous vaccine Covaxin vaccine trials which are being conducted on them without their consent, social activist Rachna Dhingra, who works with the survivors of the disaster claims.

The vaccine candidate developed by the Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech is in its Phase-3 trial at the People's University in Bhopal.

"Poor and vulnerable residents of gas affected communities are herded by the People's University with a promise of Rs. 750," the activist claims. Dhingra also shared an image of the vaccine trial form and a video of a man who had participated in the trials.

She alleged that most of the participants are not even aware that they are a part of the Phase-3 trial.

"They are told that they are being given the vaccine to stop COVID-19," Rachna wrote in her tweet. "And no copy of the consent form is being given," she wrote.

"In case of adverse conditions, they are prescribed medicines and are expected to foot the bill. Can things get worse than this?" the activist questioned. The claim was also confirmed by one of the participants, The Siasat Daily reported.

Several netizens replied to the tweet praised the activist for her dedicated efforts.

"Everything going in this country is in the wrong process but the government wants to make us believe that all is good," Parvez Ansar, a social media user tweeted.

Another user Akshay Deshmane wrote, "This is a shocking allegation against the trail. Is India's battle against the COVID-19 shortchanging some of this country's most poor and vulnerable?"

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