The pharmaceutical giant, AstraZeneca, who prepared the COVID-19 vaccine Covishield, has today accepted that in very rare cases the vaccine can cause TTS (Thrombosis Thrombocytopenia Syndrome), a condition that involves blood clots in the brain and other parts of the body, reported the media.

The AstraZeneca-Oxford prepared vaccine was labelled Covishield in India and Vaxzevria in other parts of the world.

In November 2023, an Indian-origin man was among claimants who filed a lawsuit against the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine- administered as Covishield in India- over a rare blood clot.

Anish Tailor sued the pharma giant in the UK’s High Court claiming damages for the death of his wife, Alpa Tailor, 35. Alpa died in April 2021, under a month after taking the jab made by AstraZeneca. 

Investigations later in the year in September determined blood clots and bleeding in the brain caused by a condition called Vaccine-induced Immune Thrombocytopenia and Thrombosis (VITT), as the cause of her death. 

Another claim was made by Jamie Scott, a father-of-two who suffered a significant permanent brain injury that left him unable to work as a result of a blood clot after receiving the jab in April 2021. 

The UK High Court, in November 2023, branded the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine "defective". 

The Court documents state: “The Claimant claims damages and interest… as a result of personal injuries and consequential losses arising out of his sustaining Vaccine Induced Immune Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia (VITT) as a result of his vaccination on 23 April 2021, with the AstraZeneca Covid19 vaccination (ChAdOx1-S [recombinant]) manufactured and/or supplied by the Defendant which was defective within the meaning of the Consumer Protection Act 1987.” 

“The group of individuals whom we represent have always been clear: they do not dabble in anti-vaccine conspiracy theories. However, it is plainly factually inaccurate to claim that vaccines do no harm given the experience of our client group – the vaccine injured and bereaved,” Sarah Moore, partner at a law firm bringing the claim, had told The Telegraph. 

“By beginning a legal battle against AstraZeneca, the vaccine injured and bereaved will use the law to seek accountability and compensation for the deaths of their loved ones and the life-changing injuries that many in the group have sustained,” she added. 

While Anish was seeking up to £5 million claim, Scott, 44, received £1,20,000 from the Government following his injury but was forced to give up his job as an IT manager. His wife, Kate, explained that they were being forced to pursue a lawsuit as the vaccine injury compensation has proven inadequate. 

“We are private people but we cannot stand the injustice of it. We have been lobbying the government for 18 months for fair compensation for the injury caused by the vaccine,” Kate was quoted as saying. 

“We were told by the Government the vaccine was safe and effective but what’s happened to Jamie has been life-changing and their [AstraZeneca] vaccine caused that,” she added. 

Several studies have shown AstraZeneca’s vaccine as highly effective, saving up to six million lives globally in the first year of its rollout alone. In 2022, the World Health Organisation (WHO) concluded the vaccine was ‘safe and effective for all individuals aged 18 and above’, and added the adverse effects which have prompted legal action are ‘very rare’. 

Meanwhile, the pharmaceutical giant had said, “Patient safety is our highest priority and regulatory authorities have clear and stringent standards to ensure the safe use of all medicines, including vaccines. Our sympathy goes out to anyone who has lost loved ones or reported health problems.”

(with inputs from IANS)

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