The tragic demise of a woman shortly after receiving the Covishield vaccine has prompted her parents to take legal action against the Serum Institute of India (SII), the manufacturer of the vaccine. A recent report by the Economic Times (ET) reveals that the parents of the deceased are pursuing a case against the Indian company, which produces the Covid-19 inoculation for AstraZeneca, amidst growing concerns over vaccine safety.
The development follows AstraZeneca’s acknowledgment in court that the vaccine can result in a rare side effect. Venugopalan Govindan, the father of the deceased, Karunya, criticized AstraZeneca for its delayed admission, stating that it came “too late” after numerous casualties had occurred.
“AstraZeneca and SII should have halted the manufacture and distribution of these vaccines when 15 European countries either suspended or restricted their use due to deaths from blood clots in March 2021, just a few months after the vaccine rollout,” Govindan asserted.
The grieving parents have lodged a writ petition seeking redressal and the appointment of an independent medical board to investigate their daughter’s death. Despite being approached for comment by ET, SII declined to engage on the matter.
According to reports, AstraZeneca has conceded in legal documentation that Covishield “can, in very rare cases, induce Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (TTS).”
“In India, Covishield, which inoculated 90 per cent of the populace, has performed commendably,” remarked a senior individual from a national Covid working group, downplaying concerns about adverse reactions.
Govindan further alleged that companies and the government had promoted Covid-19 vaccines as “safe and efficacious” without adequate data.
“The regulatory bodies that approved it and subsequently failed to intervene when data emerged about the dangers are all culpable in the death of my daughter and countless others who have died after taking this so-called vaccine,” Govindan emphasized.
“If sufficient remedies aren’t obtained, for the sake of justice and to prevent the recurrence of this atrocity that was perpetrated in the name of public health, we will file fresh cases against any and all of those perpetrators because of whose actions the deaths of our children ensued,” he added.
This legal action raises questions about vaccine safety, regulatory oversight, and the accountability of pharmaceutical companies. As the world grapples with the Covid-19 pandemic, ensuring the safety and efficacy of vaccines is paramount.
