‘Sudden cardiac deaths can result from...’: Govt rules out Covid vaccine link, points to genes, heart issues

The Union Health Ministry has clarified that studies conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) have conclusively established that there is no direct link between Covid-19 vaccination and the reports of sudden deaths in the country.

The ministry’s response comes a day after Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah stated on social media platform X that hasty approval and distribution of the Covid-19 vaccine to the public could also be a reason for some sudden deaths in Hassan district of that state.

The Health Ministry said the matter of sudden unexplained deaths has been investigated through several agencies in the country. “Studies by ICMR and NCDC affirm that Covid-19 vaccines in India are safe and effective, with extremely rare instances of serious side effects. Sudden cardiac deaths can result from a wide range of factors, including genetics, lifestyle, pre-existing conditions, and post-Covid complications,” the ministry said in a statement.

According to the ministry, ICMR and NCDC have been working together to understand the causes behind sudden unexplained deaths, especially in young adults between the ages of 18 and 45 years. To explore this, two complementary studies were undertaken using different research approaches: one based on past data and another involving real-time investigation. The first study, conducted by ICMR’s National Institute of Epidemiology (NIE), was carried out from May to August 2023 across 47 tertiary care hospitals in 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 ministry said.

The ministry also pointed out that the second study is currently underway and is being conducted by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi with funding and in collaboration with ICMR.

“This is a prospective study aimed at determining the common causes of sudden deaths in young adults. 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. In majority of the unexplained death cases, genetic mutations have been identified as a possible cause of these deaths. The final results will be shared once the study is complete," the ministry explained.

The ministry emphasises that taken together, these 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.