Covid vaccine not responsible for heart attacks, says Union Health Minister

Covid vaccines are not responsible for heart attacks, said Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, while citing a study conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

Speaking at a summit today, the Health Minister said, "If someone has a stroke today, they think it is because of the Covid vaccine. ICMR has done a detailed study that the (Covid) vaccine is not responsible for heart attacks."

He added that there are multiple reasons for heart attacks including one's lifestyle, consumption of tobacco and liquor, etc.

"Sometimes, misinformation spreads among the people and a perception is formed for some time," said Mansukh Mandaviya.

The ICMR study which dispelled concerns about an increased risk of sudden death among young adults due to Covid vaccines came out in November 2023.

The study suggested that factors such as post-Covid hospitalisation, a family history of sudden death, and certain lifestyle behaviours may be the underlying causes.

Contrary to concerns, the study found that two doses of the Covid vaccine lowered the odds of unexplained sudden death, whereas a single dose did not.

The study also acknowledged that Covid-19 may increase the risk of heart disease and stroke but noted a lack of understanding regarding the pathways through which the virus could lead to sudden deaths.

The research, involving 47 tertiary care hospitals across the country, focused on apparently healthy individuals aged 18-45 without known health issues who unexpectedly died between October 2021 and March 2023.

The study, stating vaccines are not responsible for heart attacks, also emphasised the associations between lifestyle factors like smoking, alcohol use frequency, binge drinking, recreational drug use, and vigorous physical activity with unexplained sudden death.