Amid Fears Over Possible Side Effects of COVID Vaccines, Covaxin Has a Message

New Delhi: Amidst growing concerns over the safety of Covid-19 vaccines, Bharat Biotech, the maker of Covaxin, has reaffirmed its commitment to safety, highlighting the vaccine's excellent safety record. This statement comes in the wake of AstraZeneca's admission regarding the rare side effects of its Covid-19 vaccine, sold as Covishield in India. In a press release shared on its official platform, Bharat Biotech emphasized that Covaxin was developed with a “single-minded focus on safety”, followed by “efficacy”. 

“As seasoned innovators and product developers, the Bharat Biotech team was well aware that, while the efficacy of Covid-19 vaccines may be short-lived, the impact on patient safety could last a lifetime. Hence, safety is the primary focus for all our vaccines,” the makers said.

"Safety of Covaxin was also evaluated by the Ministry of Health, Government of India. Ongoing safety monitoring (pharmacovigilance) was continued throughout the product life cycle of Covaxin," it added.

Covaxin conducted over 27,000 human trials in India: Covaxin maker Bharat Biotech

The company underscored the extensive evaluation process undertaken, including efficacy trials involving more than 27,000 subjects in India.

Furthermore, Bharat Biotech highlighted the rigorous safety monitoring conducted by both the company and the Ministry of Health, Government of India, throughout the vaccine's development and distribution phases. 

Bharat Biotech emphasizes on vaccine-associated incidents like blood bloting 

The absence of vaccine-associated incidents, including blood clots and related complications, was also emphasized.

“Studies and follow-up activities demonstrated its excellent safety record for Covaxin and there were no reports of vaccine-associated incidents, including blood clots, Thrombocytopenia, pericarditis and myocarditis,” they wrote. 

Bharat Biotech’s reassurance amidst AstraZeneca's admission

Bharat Biotech’s reassurance comes at a time when concerns over vaccine safety have heightened following AstraZeneca's admission of rare side effects associated with its Covid-19 vaccine.

AstraZeneca, facing a class-action lawsuit, recently admitted in court documents that its vaccine could cause a blood clot-related side effect in very rare cases. 

Sold globally under various brand names, including Covishield in India, the vaccine has come under scrutiny for its potential adverse effects, including Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (TTS).