'Poorly designed': Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) distance itself from BHU study on Covaxin

NEW DELHI: Researchers from Banaras Hindu University (BHU) have conducted a one-year follow-up study on individuals who received Bharat Biotech's Covaxin. The study revealed that approximately one-third of the participants experienced 'adverse events of special interest' (AESI) after receiving the vaccine.



Dr Rajiv Bahl, the director general of ICMR, has responded to the study by sending a letter to both the authors of the paper and the editor of the journal. In his letter, he demanded the immediate removal of the acknowledgement to ICMR and the publication of an erratum.

"BHU study on side effects of Covaxin erroneously acknowledges ICMR. ICMR cannot be associated with this poorly designed study which purports to present a ''safety analysis" of Covaxin" he said.

A recent study emphasized the importance of prolonged monitoring to comprehend the extended consequences of AESIs (adverse events of special interest) following COVID-19 vaccination. It also advocated for more extensive research to examine the immune-related occurrences post-vaccination.

The study follows UK pharmaceutical AstraZeneca's admitting in a UK court that its COVID vaccine can cause rare side effects, including blood clotting and a reduction in platelet count.

What is AESI?
After receiving a vaccine, some individuals may experience a specific condition or event known as an AESI (Adverse Event of Special Interest). This occurrence has the potential to be directly linked to the administered vaccine product.