AstraZeneca has admitted that its COVID-19 vaccine can lead to a serious condition known as thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS), which can be fatal.
The condition is characterized by blood clots and a low level of blood platelets, the components responsible for clotting. The revelation came as part of a legal submission by the Cambridge-based pharmaceutical company to the High Court amid ongoing litigation involving multiple families.
The families have initiated a class-action lawsuit, claiming that the vaccine caused severe health issues or fatalities. The compensation claims for some of the affected parties could reach up to $25 million.
Despite contesting the allegations, AstraZeneca’s concession in the document that its vaccine could cause TTS, albeit in extremely rare cases, is significant. This condition, formerly known as vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT), has been a recognized but very rare side effect of the vaccine.
The legal admission marks the first instance AstraZeneca has openly recognized the potential for its vaccine to cause this serious side effect in court, following two years of acknowledgment in a medical context. The implications of this admission could pave the way for individual compensation claims, altering the landscape for those affected and their families.
The development occurs shortly after AstraZeneca reported a substantial increase in its revenue, with more than $12 billion earned in the first quarter of 2024, marking a 19% growth from the previous year. The company attributes this financial success to a “very strong start” to the year.
