Covishield, developed by AstraZeneca in collaboration with Oxford University, was produced by the Serum Institute of India and extensively used in India.British pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca has finally admitted to a rare side effect associated with its Covid vaccine, known as Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (TTS). This admission, made public for the first time, emerged in court documents amid ongoing legal proceedings where AstraZeneca faces lawsuits alleging that its vaccines have led to fatalities and severe injuries in multiple instances. In the UK High Court, approximately 51 cases have been filed by victims seeking damages totaling up to 100 million pounds.
Covishield, developed by AstraZeneca in collaboration with Oxford University, was produced by the Serum Institute of India and extensively used in India. By 2022, India had administered over 1.7 billion doses of Covishield in the world’s largest vaccination program. AstraZeneca’s vaccine, known for its straightforward storage requirements (up to 6 months), and widespread accessibility, has been pivotal in global vaccination initiatives to combat Covid-19 and attain herd immunity.
What is TTS?
Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome, also known as ‘vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia’ (VITT), is a rare condition characterised by both blood clots and low platelet count. This syndrome has been observed in individuals who have received adenoviral vector COVID-19 vaccines, including Vaxzevria, Covishield (AstraZeneca), and the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine. The onset of TTS appears to be triggered by the body’s immune response to the vaccine, which generates antibodies attacking a protein crucial for blood clotting.
Symptoms include severe headaches, abdominal pain, swelling in legs, breathing difficulties, and cognitive impairment or seizures. These symptoms typically manifest between 2 to 42 days following vaccination, with a slightly elevated risk reported among individuals aged over 60.
The European Medicines Agency in 2021 had stated that there was a “causal link” between blood clots with low blood platelets and the administration of COVID-19 Astrazeneca vaccine. But it had added that they should be “listed as very rare side effects.”
TTS in India
In India, a prominent private medical institution in Delhi reported seven cases of Covid vaccine-induced thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT) in October 2021, identified through “gold standard tests” at the facility, with one patient dying of complications.
Doctors at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in Delhi said that India’s first recorded case of Vaccine-induced Thrombotic Thrombocytopenia (VITT) occurred in June 2021. The diagnosis was confirmed when a serum sample from a young patient, received from Army Hospital (Research & Referral) at Delhi Cantonment, tested positive through the “gold standard test”.
However, due to delayed referral, the patient did not survive. Similar cases had been reported earlier in 2021 from Denmark, the UK, Germany, and Canada. On August 11, the UN issued guidelines for diagnosing and managing TTS.
The Lawsuit against AstraZeneca
In 2023, Jamie Scott, a father of two, filed a lawsuit against the pharmaceutical giant, alleging permanent brain injury resulting from a blood clot formed after receiving the vaccine in April 2021. He complained that 10 days after receiving the vaccine, he experienced tiredness and started vomiting leading to his speech impairment. After examination by the doctors, Scott was diagnosed with a suspected case of Vaccine-induced Immune Thrombocytopenia and Thrombosis (VITT).
Following the incident, at least 51 cases were registered against the pharmaceutical company. Many claimed damages worth $125.36 million.
Although AstraZeneca contests these allegations, it admitted in a document dated February that its Covid vaccine can, in very rare instances, cause TTS, as reported by a publication. This admission contradicts AstraZeneca’s stance in 2023 when it denied the generic association between TTS and its vaccine.
While lawyers argue that the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine is “defective”, the company maintains that TTS can occur independently of its vaccine.
Shortly after the vaccine rollout in 2021, scientists identified a link between Covishield and Vaccine-induced Immune Thrombocytopenia and Thrombosis (VITT), which Scott’s lawyers claim is a subset of TTS. However, AstraZeneca does not appear to acknowledge this assertion.
When Covishield faced bans globally
The AstraZeneca vaccine faced bans in multiple countries. Denmark became the first country to suspend the Covid-19 vaccine, followed by Ireland, Thailand, the Netherlands, Norway, Iceland, Congo, and Bulgaria. European nations like Germany, France, Italy, and Spain also halted its use in 2021 due to reported cases of blood clots among recipients.
Later, Canada, Sweden, Latvia, and Slovenia joined the ban. Australia, Indonesia, and Malaysia also prohibited the vaccine amid public safety concerns. Despite these actions, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a statement vouching for the safety of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine. The WHO stressed that its benefits outweighed potential risks and recommended the continuation of vaccinations.