No link between COVID-19 vaccines and sudden deaths, health ministry clarifies

Studies conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) have found no direct link between COVID-19 vaccination and reports of unexpected fatalities in the country.

According to a news statement from the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the issue of sudden inexplicable deaths has been probed by many agencies around the country. These investigations have definitely shown that there is no direct link between COVID-19 vaccination and reports of unexpected fatalities in the country.

Studies conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) confirm that COVID-19 vaccinations in India are safe and efficacious, with exceedingly rare cases of major side effects. Genetics, lifestyle, pre-existing illnesses, and post-COVID problems are all potential causes of sudden cardiac death.

According to the statement, the ICMR and NCDC have been working jointly to better understand the causes of unexpected, unexplained deaths, particularly among young adults aged 18 to 45. To investigate this, two complementary investigations were conducted utilising different research methods: one based on historical data and the other involving real-time study.

The first study, undertaken by the ICMR's National Institute of Epidemiology (NIE), was titled "Factors associated with unexplained sudden deaths among adults aged 18-45 years in India: A multicentric matched case-control study." This study was conducted from May to August 2023 at 47 tertiary care facilities in 19 states and union territories. It examined people who appeared to be in good condition but died unexpectedly between October 2021 and March 2023. The data convincingly demonstrated that COVID-19 immunisation does



not raise the incidence of unexplained sudden death in young adults.

The second study, titled "Establishing the cause in sudden unexplained deaths in young", is now being conducted by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, with funding and support from the ICMR. This is a prospective study designed to identify the common causes of unexpected mortality in young adults. Early examination of the study's data shows that heart attacks, or myocardial infarction (MI), remain the primary cause of sudden mortality in this age range. Importantly, no significant shifts in the pattern of causes have been detected as compared to previous years. The bulk of unexplained fatalities have been linked to genetic abnormalities. The press release stated that the final results would be shared once the study was completed.

Together, these two investigations provide a more complete picture of unexpected, unexplained deaths among young people in India. It has also been discovered that COVID-19 vaccination does not appear to enhance the risk; however, underlying health concerns, genetic predisposition, and dangerous lifestyle choices all play a part in unexplained sudden death.

Scientific experts have emphasised that comments associating COVID-19 vaccination with sudden death are inaccurate and misleading and do not reflect scientific agreement. Speculative statements made without convincing evidence risk weakening public trust in vaccines, which have saved millions of lives throughout the pandemic. Such erroneous allegations and assertions may significantly contribute to vaccine reluctance in the country, thereby damaging public health.

According to the press release, the Indian government remains committed to evidence-based public health research to protect residents' well-being.