COVID-19 vaccines not linked to surge in heart attack deaths: Health Ministry

New Delhi, July 2: Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry on Wednesday confirmed that COVID-19 vaccines are not linked to the surge of sudden deaths due to heart attacks in India.

As per reports, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) conducted extensive studies on sudden deaths among adults due to heart attacks after COVID-19. The Ministry cited these studies to make that claim.

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“Extensive studies by ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research) and AIIMS on sudden deaths among adults post-COVID have conclusively established no linkage between COVID-19 vaccines and sudden deaths. Studies by ICMR and the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) have affirmed that COVID-19 vaccines in India are safe and effective, with extremely rare instances of serious side effects,” the ministry said in a statement.

The statement explained that sudden heart-related deaths can happen for many reasons, such as genetics, lifestyle, existing health problems, and complications after COVID-19.

“Sudden cardiac deaths can result from a wide range of factors, including genetics, lifestyle, pre-existing conditions, and post-COVID complications. Scientific experts have reiterated that statements linking COVID vaccination to sudden deaths are false and misleading and are not supported by scientific consensus,” the statement added.

Notably, in response to rising concerns, especially about sudden deaths in young adults aged 18–45, two major studies were launched to find the causes. One looked at past cases, and the other followed new ones, using data from across the country.

The first study, called ‘Factors Associated with Unexplained Sudden Deaths among Adults aged 18–45 Years in India’, was done by ICMR’s National Institute of Epidemiology from May to August 2023 at multiple locations.

The study covered 47 hospitals in 19 states and union territories, looking into deaths that happened between October 2021 and March 2023. It clearly found no link between COVID-19 vaccines and sudden deaths in adults.

The second study, still in progress, is titled ‘Establishing the Cause in Sudden Unexplained Deaths in Young’ and is being conducted by AIIMS New Delhi in partnership with ICMR. Initial results suggest that heart attacks and genetic mutations are the main reasons behind these sudden deaths. Notably, the causes remain largely the same as in previous years.