Referring to scientific literature and global data, Siddaramaiah said that while COVID-19 vaccines had undoubtedly saved lives, international research – and even statements by vaccine manufacturers such as AstraZeneca – had acknowledged rare but serious adverse effects, including cardiac complications.
Published Jul 03, 2025 | 10:44 PM ⚊ Updated Jul 04, 2025 | 3:45 PM
The Chief Minister had highlighted that in the past month alone, more than 20 people had died due to heart attacks in Hassan district.
Synopsis: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has defended the formation of an expert committee to probe possible links between COVID-19 vaccines and sudden heart-related deaths, following criticism from Biocon’s Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw. He stressed that the inquiry is not meant to cast blame, but to address genuine public concerns and maintained that seeking clarity on potential risks is a responsible act of governance.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday issued a sharp rebuttal to Biocon Executive Chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, defending his decision to launch an inquiry into possible links between COVID-19 vaccines and the rising instances of deaths from heart attacks in the state.
Siddaramaiah asserted that his decision to form an expert committee was not meant to cast retrospective blame but to address the growing concerns among families who had lost loved ones unexpectedly.
“As Chief Minister, I have a duty to respond to the genuine concerns of people who have lost loved ones unexpectedly,” he wrote in a post on X.
“When parents lose their young children or families lose breadwinners without warning, seeking clarity is not misinformation; it is an act of governance rooted in empathy.”
As Chief Minister, I have a duty to respond to the genuine concerns of people who have lost loved ones unexpectedly. When parents lose their young children or families lose breadwinners without warning, seeking clarity is not misinformation; it is an act of governance rooted in… https://t.co/JjssvDhNeV
— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) July 3, 2025
Earlier in the day, Mazumdar-Shaw had criticised the Chief Minister for his characterisation of vaccines, saying it “contributes to public misinformation”.
Her remarks on X came after Siddaramaiah appointed an expert committee headed by Dr KS Ravindranath, Director of Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research, to study whether the COVID-19 vaccines had any side effects, with instructions to submit a report within 10 days.
The Chief Minister had highlighted that in the past month alone, more than 20 people had died due to heart attacks in Hassan district.
He said the government was taking the matter very seriously and had formed the committee to identify the exact cause of this series of deaths and to find solutions.
In response to a post announcing the formation of the committee, Mazumdar-Shaw said the COVID-19 vaccines developed in India were approved under the Emergency Use Authorisation framework, following rigorous protocols aligned with global standards for safety and efficacy.
She added that much like any other vaccine, COVID-19 vaccines may also have “side effects in a very small number of individuals”.
“To suggest that these vaccines were ‘hastily’ approved is factually incorrect and contributes to public misinformation. These vaccines have saved millions of lives and, like all vaccines, may cause side effects in a very small number of individuals. It is important to acknowledge the science and data-driven processes behind their development, rather than engage in retrospective blame,” she added.
Referring to scientific literature and global data, Siddaramaiah said that while COVID-19 vaccines had undoubtedly saved lives, international research – and even statements by vaccine manufacturers such as AstraZeneca – had acknowledged rare but serious adverse effects, including cardiac complications.
“Scientific caution is not anti-science. Many peer-reviewed studies (such as Nature, Circulation, Journal of the American College of Cardiology) have discussed myocarditis and cardiac arrest risk, particularly among young adults post-vaccination,” he said.
The Chief Minister further stressed that public health decisions should account for both benefits and potential risks in a transparent manner.
“Publicly funded stakeholders must acknowledge both the benefits and the potential risks without fear or favour,” he stated.
Justifying his earlier remarks about the “hasty” rollout of vaccines, Siddaramaiah said the term referred to the unprecedented global emergency response, which was acknowledged even by international regulatory bodies.
“When I said ‘hastily’, it reflects the unprecedented speed of emergency rollouts globally without complete long-term data, acknowledged even by WHO and global regulatory agencies, who termed it a ‘calculated risk’ during a pandemic.
“Haste is not a sin when saving lives, but acknowledging potential unintended consequences is wisdom.
“Seeking answers is not retrospective blame. It is the duty of a government that values every life. The governments and other responsible stakeholders should find the truth, act on it, and protect our people with transparency and care.”
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Wednesday claimed that extensive studies conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research and All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, have conclusively established no linkage between COVID-19 vaccines and sudden deaths among adults.
The comprehensive investigation into sudden and unexplained deaths has been carried out through several agencies across the country.
Studies by ICMR and the National Centre for Disease Control affirm that COVID-19 vaccines in India are safe and effective, with extremely rare instances of serious side effects.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
