A 40- year old volunteer marooned in SII’s clinical trials for COVID-19 vaccine, namely Covishield.
Serum Institute of India’s COVID-19 vaccine trial to be blasted upon by the volunteer’s doctor in regard to a neurological disorder.
The volunteer’s doctor, a Chennai-based Neurologist holds a strong opinion and say that his patient developed acute neurological symptoms after receiving SII’s vaccine shot.
In a 21st November declaration, as quoted by Dr. Zaheer Ahmed Sayeed, a visiting neurologist at Apollo Hospital in Chennai, “The conglomerates of clinical, electro-physiological and neuro-psychological examinations, in the absence of other diagnosable modalities (despite several variety of tests at SRMC), the neurological dysfunction suffered by (the participant) subsequent to his vaccination relates to immunogenicity of Covishield covid-19 vaccine.”
Please note: patient/ participant details are removed from the above stated quote due to privacy objectives.
Dr. Sayeed winded up by saying that, ‘the vaccine caused the neurological damage after all other possibilities were eliminated through a battery of tests, including electroencephalogram (EEG), somato-sensory evoked potential (SSEP) test and neuro-psychological assessment (NPA). EEG, SSEP and NPA are used to examine neurological functions and consequences of brain damage, brain disease and severe mental illness.’ Moreover, another physician stated that, ‘the letter shows the qualified personal opinion of the neurologist is based on his diagnosis, and more evidence is needed to prove that the vaccine is or not a cause for the neurological issues of the participant.’
On December 1st 2020, SII contradicted the plea saying that, ‘Covishield is safe and immunogenic, and did not cause the neurological serious adverse effect in the participant.’ It furthered that- ‘the incident with that volunteer, though saddening, was no way formulated by our vaccine, indeed SII team is sympathetic towards the mishap.’
The verdict that- the vaccine, Covishield did not cause the “acute neuro-encephalopathy” in the patient was made by the Principal Investigator of Sri Ramachandra Medical College and Research Institute, Ramkrishnan.
So far, so true, our report stance that- Serum Institute of India is to be held innocent.
