India: AstraZeneca vaccine causes adverse reaction in volunteer, inquiry underway
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The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is conducting an inquiry into a reaction to AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine trial
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is conducting an inquiry into a reaction to AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine trial.
A senior official at AstraZeneca told Reuters on Sunday that even after the adverse effects, there is no reason to halt the trials.
According to to Reuters, a 40-year-old man had suffered serious “neurological and psychological” symptoms after taking the shot, which is being given to participants in the Serum Institute of India.
"There was no immediate cause of concern at this stage," Samiran Panda, head of Epidemiology and Communicable Diseases at the ICMR, said while talking to Reuters.
"It doesn't mean that long term assessment will not happen, it is still happening. I am aware of the activity," Panda said.
AstraZeneca has not put a statement addressing the reaction so far. The volunteer is seeking 50 million rupees ($676,288) in compensation and is also demanding the suspension of testing, and distribution of the vaccine.
"While the Serum Institute of India is sympathetic with the volunteer's medical condition, there's absolutely no correlation with the vaccine trial," the institute said.
"(The) volunteer was specifically informed by the medical team that the complications he suffered were independent of the vaccine trial he underwent," it added.