AstraZeneca, the pharmaceutical firm responsible for developing the Covishield vaccine against COVID-19, acknowledged in court documents for the first time that its vaccine can lead to uncommon adverse effects, such as fatal blood clots and a decrease in platelet count.
A lawsuit lodged against the company in the UK, seeking damages close to £100 million for approximately 50 individuals, asserts that Covishield resulted in fatalities and serious harm.
Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome is a medical condition characterized by the formation of blood clots and a reduced platelet count in the blood circulation.
One of the claimants alleged that he experienced a blood clot due to the vaccine, resulting in permanent brain damage and rendering him unable to continue working.
Administered in over 150 countries, including India and the UK, the vaccine aimed to prevent COVID-19 infections.
Covishield was developed through collaboration between AstraZeneca and Oxford University in the UK and manufactured by the Serum Institute of India.
The World Health Organization previously cautioned about potential side effects of Covishield.
“A very rare adverse event called Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome, involving unusual and severe blood clotting events associated with low platelet counts, has been reported after vaccination with this vaccine,” the Independent reported on Tuesday.
However, the WHO emphasized that the benefits of vaccination in preventing COVID-19 infections “far outweigh the risks.”
