The Supreme Court heard a plea regarding the vaccine-induced deaths of two young women following Covishield immunisation. The petitioners’ parents alleged a lack of transparency about adverse effects, while the Centre defended the vaccine’s life-saving role during the pandemic. The Court acknowledged the sensitivity of the issue and instructed the petitioners to submit their application to the Centre, granting four weeks for a response.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday (Dec 10th) heard a plea regarding the alleged vaccine-induced deaths of two young women who reportedly suffered severe adverse effects following immunisation (AEFI) with Covishield. Representing the Centre, Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati emphasized that “Covid was a disaster like no other” and highlighted the critical role vaccination played in saving lives during the pandemic.
The case, presented before a bench of Justices Vikram Nath and P.B. Varale, involved a petition by the parents of the deceased women. Senior advocate Colin Gonsalves, representing the petitioners, stated that the women—aged 18 and 20—died within weeks of receiving the first dose of Covishield in mid-2021.
Bhati pointed out that the Supreme Court had previously examined the aspect of vaccination and adverse effects holistically, asserting that “we have a robust regulatory mechanism” for monitoring such cases. She added that vaccination had undoubtedly mitigated the devastating impact of Covid-19.
The petitioners, however, argued that there was a lack of transparency regarding potential adverse effects and their remedies. Gonsalves highlighted that “the Covishield vaccine was discontinued in European countries in 2021 as it was dangerous”, and sought amendments in the relief clause to mandate government disclosure of possible adverse effects and their treatments.
The Supreme Court noted the sensitive nature of the issue. While acknowledging the pain of the petitioners, the bench remarked, “These are all luxury litigations,” yet confirmed that the matter would be fully addressed.
The bench instructed the petitioners to provide a copy of their application to the Centre within three days. It granted the government four weeks to respond to the application before resuming the hearing.
The plea also seeks the formation of an independent expert medical board to investigate the deaths, along with a detailed report of the autopsy and investigation.
In its earlier order from August 2022, the Supreme Court noted the circumstances surrounding the deaths. The petitioners claim the authorities failed to adequately respond to their representations, prompting the court to call for a government reply. The bench observed that while the matter might involve questions of medical negligence, the post-mortem reports and unanswered submissions necessitate further inquiry.
The Centre’s response to the petitioners’ amended plea is awaited, as the case progresses toward a detailed hearing.
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