Supreme Court Petition Calls for Investigation into COVISHIELD Vaccine Side Effects
A plea has been submitted to the Supreme Court, calling for an examination of potential adverse effects associated with the COVISHIELD vaccine, following disclosures by AstraZeneca regarding rare blood clotting concerns.
Advocate Vishal Tiwari filed the petition after AstraZeneca acknowledged in a UK court that COVISHIELD, one of India’s COVID-19 vaccines, could lead to a rare side effect known as Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (TTS), characterized by low platelet levels and blood clot formation.
Tiwari’s plea advocates for the Supreme Court to establish a medical expert panel, supervised by a retired apex court judge and comprising experts from institutions like the All India Institute of Medical Science, to evaluate COVISHIELD’s side effects and associated risks.
Emphasizing the government’s responsibility for citizen health and safety, the petition underscores the urgency for immediate action.
Additionally, Tiwari urges the court to mandate the creation of a Vaccine Damage Payment System to compensate individuals severely disabled or deceased as a result of COVID vaccine-related complications.
The petition references a 2022 Kerala High Court directive for the Central Government and the National Disaster Management Authority to develop compensation guidelines for vaccine-related fatalities. It also cites a 2022 Supreme Court case where the Union government stated it couldn’t be held accountable for COVID vaccine-related deaths, as the vaccines had undergone regulatory scrutiny and were deemed safe.
The government asserted that vaccines had undergone rigorous regulatory assessment globally and cannot hold the State directly liable for compensation.
The petition seeks to address concerns surrounding vaccine safety and accountability amidst growing apprehensions regarding COVID vaccine side effects.
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