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A public interest litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Supreme Court, questioning the government's HPV vaccination program. The petition, filed by the Universal Health Organisation, claims the program infringes upon constitutional rights, including informed consent, bodily autonomy, transparency, and accountability. The PIL seeks a halt to the school-based aspect of the vaccination program until a compliant informed consent protocol is established.

The Constitutional Court's petition argues that public health goals and individual rights can coexist harmoniously in vaccination efforts. The HPV vaccination program, launched in February of this year, aims to prevent cervical cancer, a leading cause of cancer deaths among women in India. Free nationwide HPV vaccination began targeting 15-year-old girls.

The petition argues that the program conflicts with constitutional provisions under Articles 14 and 21. It asserts that the program lacks a lawful informed-consent framework, adequate disclosure of risks and alternatives, transparency in adverse event reporting, and a vaccine injury compensation scheme. The petition cites the Parliamentary Standing Committee's 2013 report, which examined irregularities in an earlier HPV demonstration project, stating similar concerns regarding consent should not arise in this nationwide vaccination drive.

The Universal Health Organisation also seeks the creation of an independent expert committee to review epidemiological data, vaccine safety, consent practices, and available alternatives. The organization also demands the establishment of a real-time public AEFI (adverse events following immunisation) surveillance dashboard, notification of a national vaccine injury compensation scheme, and the formulation of a comprehensive vaccine consent framework governing minors' vaccination in India.

The organization insists that public trust in immunisation programs is bolstered, not diminished, when transparency, informed choice, and accountability are prioritized in public health policy.