Sudden death: No link with Covid-19 vaccines, India's top research bodies confirm
The health ministry said lifestyle choices, health conditions, and genetics are identified as key factors. It said speculative claims can undermine vaccine confidence and public health efforts.
THERE is no direct link between Covid-19 vaccinations and reported instances of sudden death among adults in the country, the health ministry said, citing extensive studies carried out by India's top medical research bodies.
The investigations by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) identified lifestyle choices, pre-existing health conditions and genetic factors as the key contributors to these sudden deaths, the ministry said on Wednesday.
For some time now, a narrative has been built up linking Covid-19 vaccines to sudden, unexplained deaths, especially among young adults. This prompted national agencies to ascertain the scientific basis of these claims. The findings, now made public, aim to address these concerns, provide clarity and curb the spread of misinformation.
The health ministry said the two studies offer a more comprehensive understanding of sudden unexplained deaths in young adults in India.
“It has also been revealed that Covid-19 vaccination does not appear to increase the risk, whereas the role of underlying health issues, genetic predisposition and risky lifestyle choices does play a role in unexplained sudden deaths,” the ministry said.
The ministry emphasised that scientific experts have strongly reiterated that statements linking Covid vaccinations to sudden deaths are false and misleading and not supported by scientific consensus.
Such speculative claims, lacking conclusive evidence, can undermine public confidence in vaccines, which have saved millions of lives globally during the pandemic. Unfounded reports could lead to vaccine hesitancy and adversely impact public health efforts.
Vaccines administered in India during the pandemic included Covishield, which was developed by Oxford/AstraZeneca, and Covaxin by Bharat Biotech.
Covid-19 cases in India have been declining, with the active caseload dropping to 1,691 on Tuesday. Two deaths were reported in the past 24 hours, bringing the number of deaths this year to 144. The current spread in the country is linked to Omicron sub-variants NB.1.8.1 and LF.7.
Deeper understanding
The health ministry said ICMR and the National Centre for Disease Control have been working together to understand the causes of the sudden unexplained deaths, especially in those aged 18-45. Two distinct yet complementary studies were undertaken to gain a deeper understanding of the issue.
One study by ICMR's National Institute of Epidemiology was carried out from May to August 2023. It involved 47 tertiary care hospitals across 19 states and Union Territories.
“It looked at individuals who appeared to be healthy but died suddenly between October 2021 and March 2023. The findings have conclusively shown that covid-19 vaccination does not increase the risk of unexplained sudden death in young adults,” the health ministry said in a statement.
The second ongoing study is being conducted by AIIMS, New Delhi, with funding and in collaboration with ICMR. It aims to pinpoint the common causes of sudden deaths in young adults. Early analysis of the data collected strongly indicates that heart attacks (myocardial infarction) continue to be the primary cause of sudden death in this age group.
Crucially, no major changes in the pattern of causes have been observed when compared with data from previous years. In many such cases, genetic mutations have been identified as a possible underlying cause.
The government said that it remains committed to evidence-based public health research to safeguard the well-being of citizens.
Dr Rajeev Jayadevan, former president of the Indian Medical Association's Cochin chapter, said the sudden deaths, though rare, occur due to multiple causes and not all of them are from a heart attack.
“Some younger adults have an electrical or muscular problem in the heart, often with no prior symptoms. Such conditions can sometimes trigger an abnormal rhythm that leads to cardiac arrest," Jayadevan said.
"Deaths can also occur due to stroke, overdose, pulmonary embolism or acute infection. The vaccine link is pushed on social media by conspiracy theorists and is a convenient and believable story for the general public.”
He said many people also confuse sudden deaths with VITT, an immune reaction with clots and low platelets. VITT is extremely rare, seen in 1:50,000 to 1:100,000 doses, occurs within the first couple of weeks of adenovirus vector vaccine, and is seldom fatal. It does not occur months or years later.
