Have ICMR and AIIMS Studies Found a Connection Between Covid Vaccines and Sudden Deaths?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- No link found between Covid-19 vaccines and sudden deaths.
- Sudden cardiac deaths can be caused by various factors unrelated to vaccines.
- ICMR and AIIMS confirm the safety and effectiveness of Covid-19 vaccines.
- Heart attacks remain the primary cause of sudden deaths in young adults.
- Misinformation can negatively impact public health.
New Delhi, July 2 (NationPress) Extensive research conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) has definitively proven that there is no correlation between Covid-19 vaccines and sudden deaths, as stated by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Wednesday.
Following the Covid pandemic, numerous incidents of heart attack-related fatalities among individuals, particularly the youth, were reported nationwide, prompting speculation about a connection to Covid vaccinations.
The Ministry emphasized that sudden cardiac events can stem from a variety of elements, including genetics, lifestyle choices, pre-existing health issues, and complications arising post-Covid, but they are not attributable to Covid vaccines, which have been deemed safe.
“Research conducted by the ICMR and National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) confirms that Covid-19 vaccines available in India are both safe and effective, with serious side effects being exceedingly rare,” the Ministry mentioned.
“The issue of sudden, unexplained fatalities has been thoroughly examined by multiple agencies across the nation.”
This review includes investigations by ICMR and NCDC, focusing on young adults aged 18 to 45 in two complementary studies—one utilizing historical data and another involving real-time analysis.
The initial study, executed by ICMR’s National Institute of Epidemiology (NIE), analyzed unexplained sudden deaths among adults aged 18-45 years in India from May to August 2023 across 47 tertiary care hospitals in 19 states and Union Territories.
The research targeted individuals who seemed healthy but died unexpectedly between October 2021 and March 2023.
“Results have definitively indicated that Covid-19 vaccination does not elevate the risk of sudden unexplained death among young adults,” the Ministry affirmed.
The second ongoing study, initiated by AIIMS in New Delhi in collaboration with ICMR, aims to identify the prevalent causes of sudden fatalities in young adults.
“Preliminary data analysis suggests that heart attacks, or myocardial infarction (MI), remain the primary cause of sudden death in this demographic. Notably, no significant changes in the patterns of causes have been detected when compared to previous years,” the Ministry specified.
The study also identified “genetic mutations” as a potential factor in the majority of unexplained death cases, it added.
It was further noted that Covid vaccination does not seem to heighten the risk, while underlying health issues, genetic predisposition, and hazardous lifestyle choices do contribute to sudden unexplained deaths.
The Ministry criticized reports linking Covid vaccination to sudden deaths, labeling them as “false and misleading”.
It stressed that such conjectural claims lacking robust evidence could jeopardize public trust in vaccines and foster vaccine hesitancy, ultimately impacting public health.