SC moved to examine Covid vaccine damage

In the wake of the admission by pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca in the British High Court on the potential side-effects of its vaccine-known in India as Covishield -- resulting in thrombosis and formation of blood clots, the Supreme Court was moved on Wednesday.

The petitioner has sought the setting up of a committee of experts from All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi, which should examine AstraZeneca's vaccine, its side effects and the risk factors involved. The committee should be headed by the AIIMS Director and supervised by a retired judge of the Supreme Court, petitioner Vishal Tiwari has said in his petition.

Seeking compensation for the people adversely impacted by the vaccine, the petitioner has said, "I seek directions to the Union of India to establish a vaccine damage payment system for citizens who were severely disabled by the vaccination drive during the Covid pandemic.