evidence: Activists allege that these two institutions have a working relationship with pharma companies. The main charge against GAVI is that it has representatives from pharmaceutical companies on its board while the PHFI accepts grants from pharma companies. "BMGF and GAVI are pushing the [vaccine] agenda with governments around the world, including India," says Ritu Priya Mehrotra, professor of Social Medicine and Community Health and School of Social Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi. The community health activist says the biotechnology industry was pushing more and more vaccines into India and that the health ministry was not ensuring that adequate testing was done before recommending their use in government programmes. "We need to follow the precautionary principle when it comes to vaccines. We do need more vaccines...but we should ensure that enough time is given for research to prove the efficacy and safety of new vaccines. The vaccines that are to be brought here should also fit our epidemiological profile," adds Mehrotra. Mehrotra adds that a network of people in aid agencies and the health bureaucracy were pushing this agenda. "They have the advantage of an existing medicalized mindset that believes vaccines are the perfect, safe, effective, low-cost solution for prevention of infectious diseases. There is ample evidence that this is not always the case."