Today, On 6th May, Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud agreed to hear a plea concerning potential side effects of Covid-19 vaccines, particularly Covishield, which has been linked to Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (TTS). Concerns have also been raised about the possible cardiovascular risks of Covishield, including heart attacks and strokes. Some doctors suggest that Covid-19 vaccines might be linked to myocarditis, particularly among younger people.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court of India set to consider a petition related to a rare side effect associated with the COVID-19 vaccine, Covishield, developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University, and produced by the Serum Institute of India. While a specific date for the hearing hasn’t been established, Chief Justice DY Chandrachud acknowledged the significance of the issue, which includes calls for an expert panel to investigate the side effect and demands for government compensation for families of those who might have died after receiving the vaccine. However, the court ruled out an expedited hearing of the petition.
The petitioner seeking a probe into the side effect and other potential risks associated with the vaccine, conducted by an expert panel and overseen by a retired Supreme Court judge. The petition also alleges instances where recipients of the vaccine became disabled and calls for the government to compensate these individuals as well.
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Last month, AstraZeneca acknowledged that its vaccine could, in rare instances, cause Thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS), a condition characterized by blood clots and a low platelet count. The company now facing class-action lawsuits in the United Kingdom, sparked by a complaint from Jamie Scott, who asserts that he sustained a permanent brain injury after developing a blood clot following his vaccination in April 2021. While AstraZeneca initially disputed the claim, it later conceded in a UK court that “the AZ vaccine can, in very rare cases, cause TTS.” Currently, over 50 cases are pending in court, with claimed damages reaching up to 100 million pounds.
In a recent statement, AstraZeneca expressed sympathy for those who have suffered losses or health issues, while also emphasizing its dedication to patient safety and adherence to “stringent standards to ensure the safe use of all medicines.”
Concerns have arisen regarding a potential side effect of the Covishield vaccine, which widely administered in India. However, medical experts and The Healthy Indian Project’s fact-check have indicated that the claim is only partially true. While there is a true risk of vaccine-induced Thrombotic thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS), the probability of experiencing this side effect considered to be “very rare.”
Experts in the medical field have emphasized that side effects are a common occurrence with most vaccines, including those that have been in use for many years.
The World Health Organization stated that,
“These side effects are typically minor in nature and of short duration.”
Regulatory authorities, such as the World Health Organization (WHO), consistently emphasize that the advantages of vaccination far surpass the potential risks associated with extremely rare side effects.
The Covishield vaccine differs from mRNA-based vaccines as it utilizes a viral vector platform. It employs a modified chimpanzee adenovirus known as ChAdOx1 to deliver the COVID-19 spike protein into human cells. Although this particular adenovirus is incapable of causing significant infection in recipients, it effectively educates the immune system to recognize and combat similar viruses.