There is no direct link between sudden deaths in adults and Covid-19 vaccines, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) confirmed on Wednesday.

The Union health ministry said this conclusion is based on extensive studies conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (Aiims).

“The matter of sudden, unexplained deaths has been investigated through several agencies in the country. These studies have conclusively established that there is no direct link between Covid-19 vaccination and the reports of sudden deaths in the country. Sudden cardiac deaths can result from a wide range of factors, including genetics, lifestyle, pre-existing conditions, and post-Covid complications,” MoHFW

The ministry further confirmed that studies by ICMR and the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) have shown that Covid-19 vaccines in India are safe and effective, with extremely rare instances of serious side effects. The studies reconfirm that vaccines are not to blame for sudden deaths.

According to MoHFW, the studies identified several key risk factors behind sudden deaths:

Genetic mutations and family history of heart disease

Lifestyle factors like smoking, binge drinking, drug use, and intense physical exertion

Post-Covid health complications such as clotting issues and cardiac strain

The ongoing Aiims study also shows that the patterns of causes have not changed significantly from previous years, indicating that sudden deaths in this group are not a new phenomenon triggered by vaccines.