New Delhi: A study led by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) has found no link between Covid-19 vaccines and sudden unexplained deaths among young adults in India, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said on Wednesday.
Amid concerns raised post-pandemic about heart attack-related deaths especially among people aged 18 to 45 the Ministry clarified that Covid-19 vaccines remain safe and effective. The studies concluded that sudden cardiac deaths are primarily driven by factors such as genetic predisposition, pre-existing health conditions, lifestyle choices, and complications following Covid-19 infection, not by vaccination.
“Studies by the ICMR and National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) affirm that Covid-19 vaccines in India are safe and effective, with extremely rare instances of serious side effects,” the Ministry said.
The matter of sudden deaths was investigated through multiple national agencies. Two key studies were conducted one retrospective and one real-time. The first, carried out by ICMR’s National Institute of Epidemiology (NIE), examined cases of unexplained deaths in individuals aged 18-45 between October 2021 and March 2023. Data was collected from 47 tertiary care hospitals across 19 states and Union Territories.
“The findings have conclusively shown that Covid-19 vaccination does not increase the risk of unexplained sudden death in young adults,” the Ministry stated.
The second study, still in progress, is being conducted by AIIMS New Delhi in collaboration with ICMR. It focuses on identifying the most common causes of sudden deaths in this age group. “Early analysis of data from the study indicates that heart attacks, or myocardial infarction (MI), continue to be the leading cause of sudden death in this age group. Importantly, no major changes in the pattern of causes have been observed when compared with previous years,” the Ministry said.
The AIIMS-led study also points to genetic mutations as a possible contributing factor in several unexplained death cases. It reinforces the finding that Covid vaccination does not appear to increase the risk, while underlying medical issues and lifestyle habits are more significant contributors.
The Ministry strongly condemned efforts to link Covid-19 vaccines with sudden deaths, calling such reports “false and misleading.”
“Such speculative claims without conclusive evidence risk undermining public confidence in vaccines and lead to vaccine hesitancy in the country, thereby adversely impacting public health,” the Ministry warned.
