Sudden deaths in 18–45 age group spark fear: Health Ministry clears COVID vaccine link
The Union Health Ministry has strongly refuted claims linking COVID-19 vaccines to sudden heart attacks, calling such statements “false and misleading” and warning that they risk fueling dangerous vaccine hesitancy in India.
The response came a day after Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah suggested a connection between COVID vaccination and rising cases of heart attacks. the Ministry cited multiple scientific studies and stressed that there is “no link” between heart attacks and COVID vaccines, as confirmed by Indian research conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), and AIIMS.
Two major studies underpin the government’s stance. The first, carried out by ICMR’s National Institute of Epidemiology (NIE), analyzed sudden unexplained deaths among seemingly healthy young adults aged 18 to 45 across 47 hospitals in 19 states.
Titled “Factors associated with unexplained sudden deaths among adults aged 18-45 years in India,” the study concluded that COVID-19 vaccination does not increase the risk of such deaths.
A second study, titled “Establishing the cause in sudden unexplained deaths in young,” is currently being conducted by AIIMS in collaboration with ICMR. This prospective research is aimed at identifying common causes of sudden deaths in young adults. Preliminary data shows heart attacks remain the leading cause in this age group, with no abnormal spike post-vaccination. Genetic mutations and pre-existing health conditions were identified in the majority of unexplained cases.
The Ministry emphasized that while these incidents have drawn attention, COVID-19 vaccines in India are proven to be safe and effective, with serious adverse events remaining extremely rare. Sudden cardiac deaths, it added, are often linked to a mix of genetics, high-risk lifestyle choices, and underlying conditions—not vaccination.
“Speculative claims without scientific basis can erode public trust in vaccines,” a Health Ministry official said. “Unfounded reports like these risk fueling vaccine hesitancy and jeopardizing the very tool that saved millions of lives during the pandemic.”
The government reaffirmed its commitment to science-led public health decisions and urged political leaders and influencers to refrain from making statements not grounded in verified medical evidence.
Both studies, the Ministry added, offer the most comprehensive analysis yet of sudden deaths post-COVID and underscore one message: the vaccines are not to blame.
