SII countersues volunteer who alleged side effects from Covishield vaccine for Rs 100 cr

After a 40-year-old volunteer sought Rs 5 crore as damages from Serum Institute of India (SII) alleging "severe neurological and psychological symptoms" from their potential COVID-19 vaccine, the pharmaceutical company issued an official statement, disregarding the claims.

SII categorically stated that the volunteer’s medical condition had no correlation with the vaccine trials that he underwent adding that he had already been made aware of this information by a medical team. Countersuing the 40-year-old volunteer for Rs 100 crores, SII snubbed the man's claims calling them 'malicious' and riddled with 'pecuniary motives.'

Earlier in the day, a Chennai-based businessman claimed that he suffered from severe neurological and psychological symptoms after being administered with a dose of Oxford's COVID-19 vaccine candidate - Covishield.

The 40-year-old trial candidate has sent a legal notice to the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI), ICMR, Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation, CEO of AstraZeneca and the Vice-Chancellor of Sri Ramachandra Higher Education and Research. 

The volunteer has also sought Rs 5 crore compensation and has demanded the testing, manufacturing, and distribution of the vaccine candidate be stopped immediately. 

Read: PM Modi Monitors Progress Of 'COVAXIN' In Hyderabad's Bharat Biotech; Hails Efforts

Read: Man Alleges Neurological Illness After Receiving COVID-19 Vaccine Shot, Sends Legal Notice

Serum Institute of India's full statement

Serum Institute of India is sympathetic with volunteer’s medical condition, there's absolutely no correlation with vaccine trial & his medical condition. He's falsely laying blame for his medical problems on trial.

The claim is malicious because volunteer was specifically informed by medical team that complications he suffered were independent of vaccine trial he underwent. In spite of specifically being made aware of the same, he still chose to go public & malign reputation of company. 

It is evident that the intention behind spreading of such malicious information is an oblique pecuniary motive. We will seek damages in excess of Rs 100 crores for the same and will defend such malicious claims.

Read: Serum Institute To Seek Emergency Authorization Of Covishield From DCGI In Next 2 Weeks

Read: CSIR To Wait For Peer-review On Efficacy Of Oxford's Covid Vaccine; 'but Very Encouraging'