New Delhi, Sept. 10 -- The Supreme Court on Thursday cautioned against making unsubstantiated claims about vaccines, saying such assertions could undermine a public health programme, while hearing a PIL challenging aspects of the Centre's HPV vaccination drive for adolescent girls.

A bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana was hearing the plea filed by Universal Health Organisation.

The petitioner's counsel clarified that the PIL did not oppose vaccination but raised concerns over the implementation of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) programme, including monitoring of adverse events, informed consent, disclosure of risks and the absence of a specific vaccine injury compensation mechanism.

The...