ICMR and NCDC studies confirm vaccines are safe; Lifestyle, genetics, and pre-existing conditions identified as key factors
The Union Health Ministry on Wednesday (July 2, 2025) clarified that COVID-19 vaccination is not associated with sudden adult deaths in India, reaffirming the safety and efficacy of vaccines through comprehensive studies conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
Responding to growing concerns and speculative claims, the Ministry emphasized that such unverified assertions risk undermining public trust in vaccines. “There is no direct link between COVID-19 vaccination and the reports of sudden deaths in the country,” the Ministry stated, based on investigations conducted by various expert agencies.
This comes a day after Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah remarked on July 1 that the “hasty approval and distribution” of COVID-19 vaccines might be a contributing factor to sudden deaths. However, the Ministry clarified that sudden cardiac deaths often result from a mix of factors such as genetics, lifestyle, pre-existing medical conditions, and post-COVID complications — not vaccination.
The Ministry also highlighted two major studies that shaped this conclusion:
- Study 1: Conducted by ICMR’s National Institute of Epidemiology, titled “Factors associated with unexplained sudden deaths among adults aged 18-45 years in India”, this multicentric matched case–control study was carried out between May and August 2023. It included 47 tertiary care hospitals across 19 states and UTs and examined deaths between October 2021 and March 2023. The findings confirmed no increase in unexplained deaths due to COVID-19 vaccination.
- Study 2: Titled “Establishing the cause in sudden unexplained deaths in young”, this ongoing prospective research is being led by AIIMS New Delhi in collaboration with ICMR. Preliminary results suggest myocardial infarction (heart attack) remains the leading cause of sudden death in young adults.
These studies revealed no significant deviation in cause-of-death patterns compared to pre-pandemic years. In several unexplained cases, genetic mutations were identified as possible triggers.
The Ministry reiterated that speculative narratives lacking scientific backing could increase vaccine hesitancy and negatively impact public health outcomes. “Unfounded reports and claims could strongly contribute to vaccine hesitancy in the country,” the Ministry cautioned, reaffirming that vaccines played a critical role in saving lives during the pandemic.
Both ICMR and NCDC continue to collaborate on understanding the complexities behind sudden deaths, particularly in the 18-45 age group. The findings from these studies aim to guide future public health responses while dispelling misinformation.