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No link between COVID-19 vaccines and sudden deaths: Health Ministry

The Ministry stated that while sudden cardiac deaths are indeed rising among younger individuals, they are primarily driven by a combination of factors.

July 02, 2025 / 10:50 IST
Amid the already-rising concern about vaccine hesitancy, the Centre urged citizens not to fall prey to misinformation.

Extensive studies conducted by top Indian medical research institutions have found no evidence linking COVID-19 vaccinations to sudden deaths among adults, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said in an official statement on Wednesday.

The statement comes amid concerns raised by Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who had linked a spate of cardiac deaths in Hassan district to possible side effects of COVID-19 vaccination.

Responding to the remarks, the Ministry noted, “Statements linking COVID vaccination to sudden deaths are false, misleading and not supported by scientific consensus.”

It should be noted that two major studies have been at the heart of the government’s findings.

The first, led by ICMR’s National Institute of Epidemiology, was a multicentric matched case-control study conducted between May and August 2023. It examined cases of unexplained sudden deaths among adults aged 18-45 across 47 tertiary hospitals in 19 states and union territories.

The study focused on apparently healthy individuals who died suddenly between October 2021 and March 2023. Its key finding -- COVID-19 vaccination does not increase the risk of unexplained sudden death in young adults.

The second study, currently ongoing at AIIMS New Delhi in collaboration with ICMR, aims to establish the causes behind sudden, unexplained deaths in youth through real-time investigation.

Preliminary findings point to myocardial infarction (heart attack) as the leading cause of such deaths. Additionally, genetic mutations have been identified as a probable contributing factor in many cases. The final report is awaited.

The Ministry stated that while sudden cardiac deaths are indeed rising among younger individuals, they are primarily driven by a combination of factors, including genetic predisposition, pre-existing health conditions, post-COVID complications, and unhealthy lifestyle choices.

The NCDC has further corroborated that serious side effects from COVID-19 vaccines remain “extremely rare,” and no causal link to sudden cardiac arrest or unexplained deaths has been established.

Amid the already-rising concern about vaccine hesitancy, the Centre urged citizens not to fall prey to misinformation.

“Speculative claims without conclusive evidence risk undermining public trust in vaccines, which have played a pivotal role in saving lives during the pandemic,” the statement warned.

The Ministry added that it remains committed to evidence-based public health research and continues to monitor such issues through independent scientific investigations.

Meanwhile, in Karnataka, CM Siddaramaiah, on Tuesday, claimed that over 20 heart-related deaths had occurred in Hassan district within a month. He announced the formation of an expert committee led by Dr. C N Ravindranath, Director of the Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research, to study the deaths and submit a report within 10 days.

The Centre said it would closely examine the findings of this committee. It, however, reiterated that current nationwide data does not support any vaccine-related correlation with sudden deaths.

(With inputs from agencies)

Moneycontrol News
first published: Jul 2, 2025 10:30 am

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