No link between COVID-19 vaccines and sudden deaths: Health Ministry

Studies by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) affirm that COVID-19 vaccines in India are safe and effective, with extremely rare instances of serious side effects, the Union Health Ministry said

There is no direct link between COVID-19 vaccination and the reports of sudden deaths in the country, said the Health Ministry on Wednesday (July 2, 2025) adding that this has been conclusively established following investigation of these cases through several agencies. 

The Ministry said that studies conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) found no major changes in the patterns of causes of death when compared to previous years. In the majority of unexplained cases, genetic mutations were found to be a likely contributing factor.

The Ministry said that studies conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) found no major changes in the patterns of causes of death when compared to previous years. In the majority of unexplained cases, genetic mutations were found to be a likely contributing factor.

“Sudden cardiac deaths can result from a wide range of factors, including genetics, lifestyle, pre-existing conditions, and post-COVID complications,” the Ministry said in a statement.

The Ministry noted that both ICMR and NCDC have been working together to determine the causes behind sudden unexplained deaths, particularly among young adults aged between 18 and 45 years.

To investigate the phenomenon, two complementary studies were undertaken. The first, conducted by ICMR’s National Institute of Epidemiology (NIE), was a retrospective multicentric matched case–control study. Titled “Factors associated with unexplained sudden deaths among adults aged 18–45 years in India,” it was conducted between May and August 2023 across 47 tertiary care hospitals in 19 States and Union Territories.

The study reviewed cases of individuals who appeared to be healthy but died suddenly between October 2021 and March 2023. Its findings confirmed that COVID-19 vaccination does not increase the risk of unexplained sudden deaths in young adults.

The second study, titled “Establishing the cause in sudden unexplained deaths in young,” is a prospective investigation currently underway at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi. The study is being conducted in collaboration with ICMR and is funded by the Council.

Preliminary findings from this study suggest that myocardial infarction (heart attack) continues to be the leading cause of sudden death in this demographic.

“Together, these two studies offer a more comprehensive understanding of sudden unexplained deaths in young adults in India. It has also been revealed that COVID-19 vaccination does not appear to increase the risk, whereas the role of underlying health issues, genetic predisposition and risky lifestyle choices does play a role in unexplained sudden deaths,” the Ministry said.

Scientific experts have reiterated that claims linking COVID-19 vaccination to sudden deaths are “false and misleading” and not supported by scientific consensus. “Speculative claims without conclusive evidence risk undermining public confidence in vaccines, which have played a crucial role in saving millions of lives during the pandemic,” the Ministry said.

“Such unfounded reports and claims could strongly contribute to vaccine hesitancy in the country, thereby adversely impacting public health,” it added.