SJM condemns Congress’ attempt to vilify RSS on anti-cervical cancer vaccine issue

New Delhi: Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM) has condemned the irresponsible act of the Congress in which an animation was pushed from the official handle of the party blaming the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh for prompting Prime Minister Narendra Modi to halt introduction of anti-cervical cancer vaccine.

SJM was of the view that the entire animation was based on falsehood, but the particular slide was highly objectionable.

The RSS affiliate organisation SJM condemned this irresponsible and ill-informed statement expressing surprise over the fact that the Congress is backing certain pharmaceutical lobbyists.

It is not possible that the Congress leadership was ignorant of the observations documented by the standing committee of Parliament in 2007, when their own party leaders were part of the deliberations.

The letter, which SJM sent to the PM Modi was based on sound scientific researches, was also presented before the standing committee. SJM only reiterated these facts to the prime minister and his officials. The key evidences and observations were like this:

1) The vaccine to prevent cervical cancer is expensive and pharmaceutical lobby could not prove its efficiency. These pharmaceutical companies could not produce even a single case, where this vaccine could prevent the cervical cancer.

2. Severe adverse effects came out as 389 deaths were reported in the tribal areas of Andhra Pradesh because of this vaccine. As on April 2018, the World Health Organization's VigiAccess database included 85,329 reports of adverse reactions to this HPV vaccination. The report lists serious reactions, including cardiac events, syncope, seizures and epilepsy. There were 389 sudden deaths as also 37,699 nervous system disorders and 533 cases of debilitating postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome.

3) The pharmaceutical lobbies fudged the trials. An investigation into the initial trials of the vaccine by a respected journal Slate revealed that adverse effects were recorded only for two weeks instead of mandatory two years.

The SJM said that these were pure scientific arguments and immense lobbying that forced SJM to write this letter to prime minister and seek his intervention. "We are glad that he not only intervened but stopped the introduction of this vaccine.

As conscious keepers' of society, we reasoned the resistance scientifically; we firmly believe that science is an ultimate arbitrator," said SJM leader.

He further said the Congress leaders, who opposed the introduction of this drug in the standing committee, must also speak up.