GUWAHATI: A lawyer has moved the Supreme Court of India, seeking the constitution of a medical expert panel to examine the side effects and risk factors associated with the Covishield vaccine, as well as compensation for those who were severely disabled or died as a result of the vaccination drive. The plea follows pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca's admission that its AZD1222 vaccine against COVID-19, sold under the brand name Covishield in India, could cause rare side effects such as low platelet counts and blood clots.
The petitioner, advocate Vishal Tiwari, highlighted AstraZeneca's admission that its vaccine can cause Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (TTS), a condition characterised by abnormally low levels of platelets and the formation of blood clots. The vaccine's formula was licenced to the Serum Institute of India, which produced Covishield. More than 1.75 billion doses of Covishield have been administered in India since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Tiwari's petition notes an increase in the number of deaths due to heart attacks and sudden collapses since the vaccine's administration, raising concerns about its safety. "Now, after the documents filed in a UK court by the developer of Covishield, we are compelled to think about the risks and hazardous consequences of Covishield, which have been administered to the citizens in large numbers," the plea states.
The petitioner argues that the Indian government endorsed Covishield with the assurance that it was safe, but recent admissions suggest potential risks. The plea seeks the establishment of a medical expert panel comprising experts from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi, headed by its director and supervised by a retired Supreme Court judge, to examine the vaccine's side effects and risk factors.
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The plea also calls for the establishment of a Vaccine Damage Payment System for those who suffered severe disability as a result of the vaccination drive during COVID-19 and compensation for those who died or became severely disabled due to Covishield's side effects. The Supreme Court is yet to respond to the plea.
