It has just revealed the fact that AstraZeneca is facing tens of millions of pounds in compensation claims that are coming from 35 alleged victims of the COVID-19 vaccine. This is happening in High Court legal battle.
AstraZeneca scandal arises
There have been reports from the Daily Mail stating that AstraZeneca is facing tens of millions of pounds in compensation claims from 35 alleged victims over complications they say were caused by the Covid-19 vaccine.
The pharmaceutical company, which developed its vaccine in partnership with the University of Oxford, is set to face a High Court battle over claims that the vaccine is ‘defective’. It has been linked to a newly identified condition called Vaccine-Induced Immune Thrombocytopenia and Thrombosis (VITT), which causes blood clots.
This rare side effect has led to the death of at least 81 people and illness in hundreds of others.
It is expected that more cases will be lodged against the vaccine manufacturer in what may be one of the biggest cases of its kind. The Telegraph reported that if the manufacturer loses, it could face up to £80 million in compensation payouts. During the pandemic, the government indemnified AstraZeneca and other vaccine manufacturers as it sought to roll out vaccines.
Victims of certain vaccines, including ones used to combat Covid, are entitled to a one-off ‘all-or-nothing’ sum of £120,000 from the Government under the Vaccine Damage Payment scheme.
Tory MP Sir Jeremy Wright, whose constituent Jamie Scott suffered a ‘significant permanent brain injury’ from a blood clot after receiving the vaccine in 2021, has urged the government to take action.
The former Attorney General said that the public needs the confidence to know that they will be taken care of if the vaccine goes wrong in the tiny minority of cases.
The claimants are suing AstraZeneca under the Consumer Protection Act, claiming that the vaccine was not as safe as they were led to believe.
They believe that the government should intervene and settle the cases to restore confidence in the vaccine.
In response, AstraZeneca is fighting the claims and calling them ‘confused’ and ‘wrong in law’. The company has also highlighted the millions of lives that the vaccine has saved in its first year of rollout.
It is worth noting that the AstraZeneca vaccine is not being used as part of the UK’s booster program. Instead, experts have recommended mRNA vaccines such as Pfizer or Moderna jabs.
