'No clear association found': AIIMS department says no link between Covid vaccines and sudden cardiac deaths; refutes Siddaramaiah's charges
NEW DELHI: The AIIMS Delhi doctors on Thursday debunked
Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah
's statements and said that a study was done and found no clear association with sudden cardiac deaths that took place in Hassan district.
In a press conference, Dr Karan Madan, Associate Professor, Department of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, AIIMS Delhi, praised vaccines and said that during the pandemic, they are the only possible measure to save lives.
"Covid vaccines were effective vaccines and they played a crucial role in reducing the mortality. During the pandemic, vaccines are the only possible measure to save lives. Vaccines were used on a large number of people, and they provided a lot of benefits in preventing excess mortality.
The benefits provided by the vaccines are immense. A study was done on sudden cardiac deaths to review the vaccines used so far, but no clear association was found with sudden cardiac deaths.
.." he said.
The Karnataka CM had suggested a possible connection between recent heart attack deaths in Hassan district and the vaccination programme, while also stating that the vaccines received rushed approval.
'Factually incorrect,' 'misleading'
Biocon
's founder Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw firmly rejected Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah's statements on Thursday that connected Covid-19 vaccines to heart attack fatalities in Hassan district, labelling such assertions as "factually incorrect" and "misleading".
Shaw posted on social media stating that "Covid-19 vaccines developed in India were approved under the Emergency Use Authorisation framework, following rigorous protocols aligned with global standards for safety and efficacy. To suggest that these vaccines were 'hastily' approved is factually incorrect and contributes to public misinformation."
The executive chairperson of the pharmaceutical company further noted, "These vaccines have saved millions of lives and, like all vaccines, may cause side effects in a very small number of individuals.
It is important to acknowledge the science and data-driven processes behind their development, rather than engage in retrospective blame."
'No link between Covid vaccine and sudden deaths': Serum Institute
The Serum Institute of India (SII), which produces Covishield, issued a statement confirming the safety of Covid-19 vaccines, addressing growing worries about unexpected deaths in Karnataka.
The statement referenced recent government-supported research by ICMR and AIIMS that demonstrated no connection between vaccination and heart-related deaths.
The Covishield manufacturer aligned with the Indian Health Ministry's conclusions based on scientific studies.
SII released an official communication stating: "Two large-scale studies by ICMR and AIIMS, as cited by the Ministry of Health have found no link between Covid-19 vaccines and sudden deaths. The vaccines are safe and scientifically validated."
What Siddaramaiah claimed?
Earlier, on Tuesday, Siddaramiah reported that Hassan district had witnessed over 20 heart attack deaths in the previous month, and confirmed the government's serious approach to the situation.
He established an expert committee, headed by Dr Ravindranath, Director of Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research, to examine these deaths, with instructions to deliver findings within ten days.
The CM referenced a similar February directive to investigate unexpected deaths among younger populations statewide and potential adverse effects from Covid-19 vaccines.
Even, the Union health ministry countered the CM's statement on Wednesday, confirming that comprehensive studies by ICMR and AIIMS had definitively established no connection between coronavirus vaccines and sudden deaths.
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Time of India
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Time of India
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NDTV
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