The Serum Institute of India, which made the Covishield vaccine during the Covid-19 pandemic, has supported recent reports by India’s top medical bodies that say Covid vaccines are safe and do not cause heart-related deaths.

In a public statement shared on X (formerly Twitter), the Serum Institute wrote, “The vaccines are safe and scientifically validated,” reassuring the public about the vaccine’s safety.

This comes after the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and AIIMS (All India Institute of Medical Sciences) released detailed findings from two major studies. The studies found that sudden deaths, especially among young adults, were not caused by Covid vaccines. Instead, factors like genetics, lifestyle, pre-existing health problems, and post-Covid complications were more likely to be responsible.

Health Ministry also clears doubts

The Union Health Ministry also stepped in to clear confusion after Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said there could be a connection between the vaccine and rising heart-related deaths in the state.

The ministry repeated that after deep and thorough research, there is no proof that Covid vaccines are linked to sudden deaths. India’s vaccination drive used mainly Covishield and Covaxin, which were given to nearly one billion people across the country.

Recently, reports of over 500 sudden deaths in a month in Karnataka’s Hassan district caused concern among the public. Many of these deaths were due to heart attacks, which led people to question the role of vaccines.

Two studies confirm no link

  1. The first study, done by ICMR and the National Institute of Epidemiology, looked at sudden deaths in people aged 18 to 45 in 47 hospitals across 19 states. It used data from October 2021 to March 2023 and found no link between Covid vaccines and sudden deaths.
  2. The second study is still going on at AIIMS Delhi, supported by ICMR. It is looking at these deaths in real time. So far, heart attacks are the most common cause, and in some cases, genetic conditions may be a reason. The researchers also said there is no big change in the number of sudden deaths compared to past years.

The government and researchers continue to say that the benefits of vaccines are much greater than any risks.

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