Health minister Anbumani Ramadoss will have to answer the Supreme Court for his decision to close three public sector units manufacturing many life-saving vaccines. On January 15, 2008, the production licenses of Pasteur Institute of India (Coonor), BCG Vaccine Laboratory (Chennai) and Central Research Institute (Kasauli) were cancelled.

The then Drug Controller General of India asked these units to suspend production for reasons of non-compliance with Good Manufacturing Practices norms under the Indian Drugs and Cosmetics Act of 1945.

P Shukla, former special secretary to family welfare department of the Union government has filed a PIL which urge to put a stay on the decision to close down the PSUs and immediate resumption of production of vaccines.

The PIL said: "The vaccines produced by the PSUs cost only Rs 30 to vaccinate a child with all six essential vaccines for all the required number of doses. Now that they are no longer available, the private sector is already threatening to increase the prices of the vaccines they supply to the government."

In this regard, notices were issued to Union of India, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, State of Tamil Nadu, State of Himachal Pradesh, Pasteur Institute of India, BCG Vaccine Laboratory, Drug Controller General of India and two others by the Supreme Court.