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No Evidence Linking COVID-19 Vaccines to Sudden Deaths, Say Indian Health Authorities Amid Rising Concerns

Indian health authorities, backed by large-scale studies, have found no evidence linking COVID-19 vaccines to sudden deaths, countering recent political claims and urging the public to trust scientific data.

• By Pooja Chaturvedi Sah
• New Delhi
• Jul 03, 2025

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Amid public concerns and political debate over the safety of COVID-19 vaccines in India, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has issued a robust clarification, citing extensive scientific research to affirm that no evidence links COVID-19 vaccination with sudden deaths, including heart attacks, among adults.

The statement follows remarks from Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who suggested a potential connection between vaccines and recent cardiac-related deaths in the state’s Hassan district—a claim countered strongly by medical experts and vaccine manufacturers.

Health Ministry: No Link Between Vaccines and Sudden Deaths

“There is no direct link between COVID-19 vaccinations and reported instances of sudden death among adults in the country,” the Union Health Ministry said in an official statement.

Citing investigations by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), the ministry emphasized that sudden cardiac deaths are more often attributed to factors such as genetics, pre-existing health conditions, lifestyle risks, or complications following a COVID-19 infection itself—not vaccination.

“Studies by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the 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 added.

Large-Scale Studies Provide Reassurance

Two major studies underpin the government’s stance.

The first, conducted by ICMR’s National Institute of Epidemiology (NIE), was carried out between May and August 2023 across 47 tertiary care hospitals in 19 states and union territories. The study, titled “Factors associated with unexplained sudden deaths among adults aged 18-45 years in India”, examined cases of seemingly healthy individuals who 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.

A second, ongoing study at AIIMS, titled “Establishing the cause in sudden unexplained deaths in young,” aims to determine common causes of sudden death in the same age group. Preliminary findings indicate that heart attacks (myocardial infarctions) remain the leading cause of sudden deaths, consistent with data from prior years. In several cases, genetic mutations were identified as potential contributors.

Experts Reject Vaccine-Death Link

Medical professionals have also spoken out to counter claims suggesting a vaccine link to sudden deaths.

Dr. Rajeev Jayadevan, former president of the Indian Medical Association’s Cochin chapter, noted that sudden deaths, although rare, occur due to multiple causes not exclusively tied to heart attacks.

“Some younger adults have an electrical or muscular problem in the heart, often with no prior symptoms. Such conditions can sometimes trigger an abnormal rhythm that leads to cardiac arrest,” said Dr. Jayadevan. “Deaths can also occur due to stroke, overdose, pulmonary embolism, or acute infection. The vaccine link is pushed on social media by conspiracy theorists and is a convenient and believable story for the general public.”

He further clarified that conditions like Vaccine-Induced Immune Thrombotic Thrombocytopenia (VITT), which involves blood clots and low platelets, are exceedingly rare—occurring in about 1 in 50,000 to 1 in 100,000 doses—and typically present within weeks of vaccination, not years later.

Pharma Leaders Defend Vaccine Safety

Biocon founder Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw publicly refuted Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah’s comments suggesting that COVID-19 vaccines were hastily approved and might be linked to cardiac deaths.

“COVID-19 vaccines developed in India were approved under the Emergency Use Authorisation framework, following rigorous protocols aligned with global standards for safety and efficacy,” Mazumdar-Shaw posted on social media. “To suggest that these vaccines were ‘hastily’ approved is factually incorrect and contributes to public misinformation.”

She added: “These vaccines have saved millions of lives and, like all vaccines, may cause side effects in a very small number of individuals. It is important to acknowledge the science and data-driven processes behind their development, rather than engage in retrospective blame.”

Similarly, Sudarshan Jain of the Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance urged caution against undermining trust in Indian medicines:

“Our vaccines played a vital role in the fight against COVID-19, reaching nearly 100 countries and adhering to global standards. Let’s preserve the decades of trust built on science and patient-centricity,” Jain posted online.

Serum Institute Affirms Vaccine Safety

The Serum Institute of India (SII), manufacturer of Covishield, also rejected claims linking vaccines to sudden deaths.

“In light of recent concerns, we affirm: Two large-scale studies by ICMR and AIIMS, as cited by the Ministry of Health, have found no link between COVID-19 vaccines and sudden deaths. The vaccines are safe and scientifically validated,” SII stated on its social media handle.

Misinformation Risks Vaccine Confidence

Public health experts warn that unsubstantiated claims about vaccines could fuel hesitancy, jeopardizing India’s successful immunization drive, which saw over 220 crore doses administered—primarily Covishield and Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin.

“Speculative claims, lacking conclusive evidence, can undermine public confidence in vaccines, which have saved millions of lives globally during the pandemic,” the Health Ministry said, urging citizens to rely only on scientific evidence.

Dr. Manoj Murhekar, Director of ICMR-NIE, also highlighted that the evidence actually points to a protective effect of vaccination:

“The findings of our study indicated that COVID vaccination was not associated with sudden death. In fact, what we found is that COVID vaccination protected against sudden deaths,” he told IANS.

Ongoing Investigations in Karnataka

Despite assurances from scientific authorities, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah has ordered a high-level probe into over 20 reported sudden cardiac deaths in Hassan district, maintaining that all possible causes, including any potential vaccine-related factors, must be thoroughly examined.

“We have taken the issue seriously and a comprehensive evaluation is underway,” Siddaramaiah said. “There are global reports indicating a possible correlation between the vaccines and cardiac incidents.”

However, government officials and researchers maintain that current data does not support such a link. The government reiterated its commitment to evidence-based public health research and urged citizens not to be swayed by misinformation.