Turkey's Health Ministry says flu vaccine is ‘trade secret’

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The Ministry of Health has not announced when and how many doses of influenza vaccine Turkey ordered "because it is a trade secret."

Ahead of the flu season, concerns are growing about a possible lack of influenza vaccines amid the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Within this context, main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Adana MP Burhanettin Bulut applied to the Presidential Communication Center (CİMER) as per the Right to Information Act and asked the Ministry of Health how many doses of flu vaccine Turkey ordered and on what date. However, the Ministry has not given an answer on the grounds that it is a "trade secret."

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The Ministry's Economic Evaluations and Medicine Procurement Management Directorate has stated the following in response to the MP's question: "As the information indicated in your application comprises trade-related information, it cannot be answered through the system."

While the Ministry points at the producing companies as the addressees of this question, Bulut's question regarding whether vaccines will be allocated for health workers or not has also been left unanswered.

Making a statement about the issue, Bulut has said, "The failure to answer a question regarding how many doses of vaccine were bought causes mistrust in society. It shows that the process is conducted in a closed manner."

Indicating that he is a member of the Parliamentary Health Commission, Bulut has noted, "It is important that such information is provided to us." He has emphasized that one of the most important aspects of fighting against coronavirus outbreak is transparency.

"They have so far caused suspicions and mistrust about the distribution of masks, enforcement of curfews and sharing data about pandemic. The failure to answer a question regarding how many doses of vaccine were bought causes mistrust in society. It shows that the process is conducted in a closed manner," the MP has further reiterated. (HA/SD)