Siddaramaiah, Biocon founder spar over vaccine safety amid rise in Hassan deaths
This came in response to Siddaramaiah's post on July 3 on the social media platform, where he clarified that asking questions about vaccine safety was a governance responsibility, not misinformation. 'When parents lose their young children or families lose breadwinners without warning, seeking clarity is not misinformation; it is an act of governance rooted in empathy.' Citing multiple peer-reviewed studies, he added that some Covid-19 vaccines had been linked to rare cardiac events, and that global regulators, including the World Health Organisation (WHO), had acknowledged the emergency rollouts involved 'calculated risks'.Siddaramaiah defended his earlier remarks on July 1 suggesting that 'hasty' vaccine approvals could not be ruled out as a factor in the increase in heart attacks. 'It cannot be denied that the hasty approval and distribution of the Covid-19 vaccine to the public could also be a reason for these deaths, as several studies worldwide have recently indicated,' he had said.Mazumdar Shaw had earlier countered that Indian vaccines were approved under the Emergency Use Authorisation framework, adhering to international safety and efficacy norms. 'To suggest that these vaccines were 'hastily' approved is factually incorrect and contributes to public misinformation,' she wrote on July 3. 'These vaccines have saved millions of lives and, like all vaccines, may cause side effects in a very small number of individuals.'In response, Siddaramaiah stated, 'Haste is not a sin when saving lives, but acknowledging potential unintended consequences is wisdom.' The Chief Minister's comments followed reports that more than 20 people had died of heart attacks in Hassan district in the past month. In response, the state government has formed a high-level expert committee under Dr Ravindranath, Director of the Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research, to investigate the deaths and submit a report within ten days.advertisementThis is the same panel that was tasked in February 2025 with studying the cause of sudden deaths among young people in Karnataka and whether there could be any link to Covid-19 vaccination. Siddaramaiah said the panel would continue evaluating cardiac cases and deliver its findings, based on which the government would take further action.'We too value the lives of children, youth, and innocent people who have their entire lives ahead of them, and we share the concerns of their families,' he said. He also condemned the BJP for allegedly politicising the deaths. 'Before BJP criticise us on this matter, they should ask their conscience,' he said.- Ends
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