Serum says no correlation with trial & volunteer’s condition

Vaccine-maker Serum Institute of India has labelled as “malicious and misconceived” the allegations of an adverse event made against the AstraZeneca-Oxford University Covid-19 vaccine candidate. It will seek damages in excess of ₹100 crore, it added, to defend against such claims.

Serum Institute has a production and distribution alliance for the vaccine in India and low- and middle-income countries and is undertaking clinical trials in India. Over the weekend, the Prime Minister was at Serum Institute’s Pune facility, as part of his review of the country’s vaccine preparedness.

“While the Serum Institute of India is sympathetic with the volunteer’s medical condition, there is absolutely no correlation with the vaccine trial and the medical condition of the volunteer. The volunteer is falsely laying the blame for his medical problems on the Covid vaccine trial,” the company said.