Covishield vaccine case: Plea filed in SC seeking probe on AstraZeneca

AstraZeneca, facing a lawsuit in UK for alleged vaccine-related deaths and injuries, has acknowledged that its vaccine can cause Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (TTS)

A petition has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking formation of a panel of medical experts to study the Covishield vaccine and examine its possible "side-effects". The case was filed against the backdrop of UK’s pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca admitting that its Covid vaccine could cause blood clot-related side effects “in very rare cases”.

The petitioner, Vishal Tiwari, argued that over 175 crore doses of Covishield have been administered in India based on government assurances of its safety. However, recent revelations in the UK raise concerns about potential side effects.

AstraZeneca, facing a class-action lawsuit in the UK for alleged vaccine-related deaths and injuries, has acknowledged that its vaccine can cause Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (TTS), a condition with blood clots and low platelet count, in rare cases.

The petition highlights the case of Jamie Scott, a UK citizen who suffered a permanent brain injury after receiving the AstraZeneca vaccine. The lawsuit filed by Scott and similar cases in the UK seek damages totalling up to £100 million.

In light of these developments, the petition filed by Tiwari urges the Supreme Court to establish a medical expert panel to investigate Covishield's side effects and risk factors. It also called for the implementation of a vaccine damage payment system for those severely disabled due to Covid-19 vaccination and to provide compensation to people who suffered severe disabilities or death due to vaccine side effects.

The plea argues that a system like the UK’s vaccine damage payment scheme is necessary to support those who experience serious side effects.