AstraZeneca Admits Its Covid-19 Vaccine Covishield Can Cause Rare Side-Effect ‘TTS’

AstraZeneca, the British pharmaceutical giant behind the Covishield vaccine, has conceded in court documents that its COVID-19 vaccine can trigger a rare side effect, a condition that leads to blot clots and low platelet count also known as Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (TTS). The admission comes amid a class action lawsuit in the UK, where 51 cases seek damages of up to 100 million pounds over alleged deaths and severe injuries caused by the vaccine.

The lawsuit alleges that Covishield caused deaths and severe injuries, including permanent brain damage, in certain cases. The first complainant, Jamie Scott, reported suffering a permanent brain injury after receiving the vaccine in April 2021. AstraZeneca contested these claims previously, but admitted in court documents in February this year that Covishield can potentially cause TTS.

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AstraZeneca has contested the claims made in the lawsuit but admitted in court documents that Covishield can, ‘in very rare cases, lead to TTS’. The causal mechanism behind this side effect remains unclear, and AstraZeneca maintains that TTS can also occur independent of the vaccine, and causation in individual cases requires expert evidence.

AstraZeneca's admission contradicts its previous stance in 2023, where it denied TTS as a generic side effect of the vaccine.

"It is admitted that the AZ vaccine can, in very rare cases, cause TTS. The causal mechanism is not known...Further, TTS can also occur in the absence of the AZ vaccine (or any vaccine). Causation in any individual case will be a matter for expert evidence," AstraZeneca said.

The rare syndrome has had devastating effects on some households, according to attorneys representing the plaintiffs.

Notably, the Serum Institute of India produced Covishield, developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University, and it was widely administered in many countries, including India.

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What is TTS (Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome)?

Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (TTS), also known as Vaccine-induced Immune Thrombotic Thrombocytopenia (VITT), is a rare condition characterised by the formation of blood clots (thrombosis) and a low count of platelets (thrombocytopenia). When a blood clot develops within a blood vessel, it can impede blood flow, leading to potential complications.

Thrombocytopenia refers to a deficiency in the number of platelets in the blood, which are essential for clotting and preventing excessive bleeding.