Indian researchers have found no evidence that COVID-19 vaccination was behind what many media reports have called “unexplained sudden deaths,” a medical organization said on Tuesday. Instead, it pointed to the disease itself and certain behaviors like binge drinking and intense exercise as risk factors for such episodes. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) conducted the study following what it called anecdotal reports about sudden unexplained deaths among apparently healthy adults aged 18 to 45 in India between October 2021 and March 2023.
It involved examining the medical records of 729 people who died suddenly and scrutinizing the health histories of 2,916 control subjects who did not die. The ICMR’s findings were presented in the journal PLOS Biology and are based on data from eight tertiary care hospitals associated with its Rational Use of Medicine Centers across India. It said that one year after their discharge from the hospital, about 6.5 percent of the vaccinees died, and the majority of those who died had comorbidities, including high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease.
However, the ICMR said that “a one-year post-discharge mortality rate of 6.5 percent does not mean that a person with long Covid or comorbidities will die within a year” because the figures were based on the average overall number of patients admitted to the study sites. It also said that the average was influenced by hospitals in different states and the definition of when a patient is deemed discharged from the hospital, which can differ across countries and even between hospitals in the same country.
The ICMR also pointed out that other factors can lead to sudden death, such as coronary artery disease and diabetes, and it recommended that those at higher risk should seek regular medical checkups. It also advised that those who had been in hospital for COVID-19 should not over-exercise for a year or two, as this can lead to cardiac arrests.
Several media reports have claimed that people who had been in hospital for an extended period and were given COVID-19 vaccination shots are now experiencing unexplained deaths. The ICMR said the report was not intended to contradict previous excess death rate studies and present alarming statistics and was meant to identify those sections of the population at greater risk for developing such symptoms.
A significant portion of the world’s population is prone to a variety of chronic conditions that can cause death suddenly, such as heart disease and diabetes. It is, therefore, essential to keep up with regular medical checkups and avoid risky behaviors such as smoking. This will ensure you remain healthy and enjoy the best possible quality of life as you age. The ICMR is India’s supreme body for formulating, coordinating, and promoting biomedical research. The government funds it, and it comes under the Ministry of Science and Technology. It was formed in 1911 and was formerly known as the Indian Research Fund Association.
