Legal battle ensues as dozens of families seek compensation for rare adverse reactions to AstraZeneca COVID vaccine.

A large group of patients and their loved ones who have been negatively impacted by uncommon responses to the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine are now taking legal steps against the drug manufacturer.

Although the vaccine is largely recognized for safeguarding many millions of individuals against the virus, there have been 81 patients who sadly passed away and 364 who endured severe reactions, with some being left with devastating injuries due to blood clots caused by the vaccine. As a result, AstraZeneca is being sued by the relatives of 19 individuals who passed away after receiving the vaccine, as well as 54 patients who survived but had severe reactions.

The vaccine has caused some individuals to experience uncommon and severe side effects that include strokes, paralysis, and recurrent blood clots. These adverse reactions have caused many to go from being in good physical shape to experiencing difficulties with walking and communicating, with a slim chance of improvement.

According to the most recent guidance from the NHS, taking the Covid-19 vaccine is both safe and efficient, providing individuals with the utmost protection against the virus. It is recommended that everyone gets vaccinated, as contracting Covid-19 can lead to severe illness and lasting consequences. Protecting yourself and others is best achieved through taking the Covid-19 vaccine.

During the autumn season of this year, individuals who are susceptible to experiencing severe symptoms from Covid-19 may receive an additional dose of the vaccine to prepare for the winter season of 2023-2024. Certain categories of individuals, including the elderly and those with weakened immune systems, are already being provided with an added booster vaccine dose this spring season.

The class action group has 54 surviving members who have received a diagnosis of a rare condition known as vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT). It has been discovered to occur after a Covid-19 vaccination.

Attorneys acting on behalf of a group pursuing personal injury compensation along with a claim through the Vaccine Damage Payments Scheme, contend that the AstraZeneca vaccine did not provide the level of safety expected by the public. The lawyers assert that the case is not about assigning blame, but rather it revolves around the reasonable expectation of safety. They maintain that individuals were provided with a misleading impression of the vaccine's safety and effectiveness and anticipate that more individuals will join the lawsuit.

The NHS has reported that Vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia can impact around 1 in 50,000 individuals below 50 years of age who have received the AstraZeneca vaccine. For those aged above 50, the figure is one in 100,000. The outcome of blood clots can have a severe impact, as stated by the NHS.

The NHS started giving out AstraZeneca vaccinations on January 4th, 2021. They were in a hurry to distribute as many doses as possible. A little while before that, Margaret Keenan, who was 90 years old, was the first person to get the Pfizer jab after it was approved for use. Up until September of 2022, over 24 million people got their first dose of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, and just over 27 million people got their first dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine in the UK. Overall, there have been about 50 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine that have been given out.

To speed up the development and availability of vaccines, the UK Government gave legal protection to major pharmaceutical companies during the early stages of the pandemic. This safeguard shields these companies from lawsuits in case of any negative outcomes in patients. Therefore, if AstraZeneca is required to offer compensation, it will be funded by taxpayers.

The VDPS has received over 4,000 requests for compensation from people who have suffered from vaccine damage. As of 6 March, over 1,000 of these cases have been resolved. The majority of these cases (622) were related to the AstraZeneca vaccine, followed by the Pfizer vaccine (348) and the Moderna vaccine (43). It's worth noting that all of the people who have made these claims are seeking compensation for disabilities they have developed as a result of receiving these vaccines. This information was obtained through a Freedom of Information request that was recently published by the NHS Business Authority.

Last month, the Health minister, Maria Caulfield, revealed to Parliament that there were 48 successful VDPS claims, all of which were linked to the AstraZeneca vaccine. Most claims were rejected due to "medical reasons." To speed up the process, the Government has increased the number of administration staff from four to 80 in recent months.

The program offers a tax-free lump sum of £120,000 to individuals who have suffered from severe disability due to a vaccine. The compensation does not affect the individual's right to pursue legal action for damages. To be eligible for the compensation, the individual must prove two things: that it is likely the vaccine caused their disability and that the severity of the disability is rated at 60% or higher.

The First UK Covid-19 Vaccine

The Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine got the approval to be used in the UK before any other vaccine. The Government purchased 100 million doses of the vaccine to administer to people in its vaccination programme.

Most individuals received the vaccine with no difficulty, but after a few months, some incidents surfaced where some people experienced blood clotting along with a decrease in platelet levels, medically known as thrombocytopenia, following the administration of the vaccine.

During April 2021, the MHRA declared that there may be a connection between the AstraZeneca vaccine and uncommon instances of blood clots. However, the agency stressed that for most individuals, the gains of the vaccine far exceed the potential risks. The circumstances surrounding the blood clots examined by the MHRA implied a decrease in the quantity of platelets within the bloodstream.

In the subsequent month, the UK's committee responsible for vaccination and immunization advised that those under 40 should receive a different vaccine from AstraZeneca because the likelihood of severe side effects in younger individuals was higher. At this point in time, several countries had already halted the administration of AstraZeneca's vaccine.

In the year 2022, the JCVI did not advise the utilization of the AstraZeneca vaccine for boosting campaigns in the United Kingdom, and the government made it clear that they would not acquire any additional doses.

The UK no longer utilizes it. Other nations around the globe have employed it, although it is unclear whether or not it is still in use in any capacity.

Attorneys are urging the Government to provide adequate assistance to those who have been harmed or lost loved ones due to vaccinations. They have delivered formal requests to the Anglo-Swedish corporation based in Cambridge, but have not received a reply as of yet. Legal advisors for the AstraZeneca claimants anticipate that additional individuals will join the lawsuit, especially as over 400 people are known to have experienced blood clot issues.

Peter Todd, a consultant solicitor from Scott-Moncrieff & Associates Ltd, is currently advocating for 33 individuals who have filed claims. Todd mentioned to "i" that the MHRA records show there have been 445 significant occurrences of blood clots (thrombosis) tied to concurrent low platelets (thrombocytopenia) following the administration of AstraZeneca's Covid-19 vaccine in the UK up to 23 November 2022, which includes the unfortunate deaths of 81 individuals.

The vaccine has resulted in numerous severe injuries such as strokes, heart attacks, amputations, and other life-altering ailments. This is a significantly high number of severe injuries that were caused by the vaccine, which we will prove in court that the clots were probably a result of the vaccine.

A man named Mr Todd represented 86 individuals who suffered from narcolepsy after taking the swine flu vaccination during the 2009 pandemic. He stated that they have initiated legal proceedings against AstraZeneca UK Ltd. The case is about seeking compensation for harm caused and the consequential financial losses for a cluster of 77 claimants thus far. They are arguing that the vaccine was not as safe as it should have been according to expectations set forth by the Consumer Protection Act of 1987.

This is not a matter of assigning blame, but rather it's about having a sensible sense of safety. Individuals were informed that the vaccine was secure and dependable, hence they trusted this information. However, these same people endured injuries that altered their lives. The Government assured Astra Zeneca that they would be protected against such allegations, yet we expect the Government to provide appropriate assistance to those who have been affected by the vaccine injuries and to their bereaved families.

Authorities stated that they were unable to provide any statements regarding the current legal matters.

According to an official from the government, every vaccine utilized in the United Kingdom has been thoroughly tested through clinical trials and has passed the rigorous safety, efficiency, and quality standards set by the MHRA. In the event of rare cases where people have experienced serious disability after receiving a government-recommended vaccine for a particular illness, the vaccine damage payments scheme is in place to offer additional assistance and lighten the load.

AstraZeneca stated that it cannot provide any details about the "continuous legal situations" concerning their Covid vaccine, which is also called Vaxzevria.

A representative stated that the safety of patients is of utmost importance, and regulatory bodies have strict guidelines to ensure that all medications, including vaccines, are used safely. We extend our condolences to those who have experienced health issues.

The company AstraZeneca together with governing bodies are meticulously gathering and evaluating any indications of possible negative effects linked to the utilization of Vaxzevria. Based on testimonials from clinical tests and actual occurrences, Vaxzevria has consistently proven to have reasonable safety measures, and authorities worldwide consistently emphasize the advantages of receiving the vaccine surpass any likelihood of infrequent, unforeseen consequences.

Conditional marketing approval was given to Vaxzevria by the MHRA in the UK due to its ability to provide both safety and efficacy. The vaccine has been supplied to over 180 countries, and more than 3 billion doses have been administered. According to independent estimates, Vaxzevria was responsible for saving over six million lives globally in just its first year of availability.