Class Action Lawsuit Against AstraZeneca for Vaccine Injury Moves Forward

A dose of AstraZeneca vaccine is prepared at COVID-19 vaccination centre in the Odeon Luxe Cinema in Maidstone, UK, on Feb. 10, 2021. Andrew Couldridge/Reuters

AstraZeneca is facing a landmark legal case in the High Court over allegations relating to injuries from its COVID-19 jab.

On Wednesday, The Telegraph reported that lawyers could lodge legal cases with the High Court by the end of the year in a class action, representing at least 80 people, against the Anglo-Swedish pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca.

People have died from VITT (Vaccine-Induced Thrombosis and Thrombocytopenia) as a direct result of the AstraZeneca vaccine, known as Vaxzevria, which was developed along with Oxford University.

A vial of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Oxford University and UK-based drugmaker AstraZeneca is checked as they arrive at the Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath, England, on Jan. 2, 2021. Gareth Fuller/Pool via AP

Others are claiming to have been injured with the lasting debilitating condition.

Lawyers are arguing that there was no warning of the risk of VITT included in the product information on the date of supply of the vaccine.

The Epoch Times has not been able to independently verify the legal documents.

The Epoch Times has previously reported that Peter Todd, a consultant solicitor with Scott-Moncrieff & Associates, initiated a claim against AstraZeneca under the Consumer Protection Act 1987, representing dozens of people who say that their loved ones suffered severe reactions or died after taking the vaccine.

Mr. Todd told The Epoch Times at the time that it “remains to be seen whether AstraZeneca will be disputing that the vaccine was the cause of his death.”

“Even if they do not dispute this, I anticipate they will still be disputing civil liability for his death. That is a question of law for the court to determine in due course,” he added.

1.2 Per Cent

The Telegraph said that the case also leans on the efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine and claims that it could be “defective.”

AstraZeneca issued press releases following clinical trials saying the vaccine was between 62 per cent and 90 per cent effective at preventing symptomatic Covid-19 depending on dosages, with an average of 70 per cent.

However the legal claim states, “In fact, the absolute risk reduction concerning Covid-19 prevention was only 1.2 per cent.”

In response, AstraZeneca told The Epoch Times that authorities granted full marketing approval based on the “safety profile and efficacy” of the jab.

Vaccine, Injured, Bereaved UK (VIB UK) spokeswoman Claire Hibbs has been unable to work after developing vaccine-induced immune thrombocytopenia and thrombosis (VITT) after taking the AstraZeneca jab in 2021.

She told The Epoch Times “we’re finally going to be listened to.”

“We can actually go public with what AstraZeneca has done to us. Hopefully, this is going to get some attention because we’ve been ignored for so long,” she said, adding that they are crowdfunding to pay for legal fees.

Several members of VIB UK are still waiting for financial support through England’s Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme, which is limited to a single, lump-sum payment of £120,000 ($136,000).

Though some have been denied as they have been diagnosed with VITT and don’t meet the stringent 60 percent level of disablement benchmark.

‘Our Sympathy Goes Out’

An Astrazena spokesperson told The Epoch Times by email that “patient safety is our highest priority and regulatory authorities have clear and stringent standards to ensure the safe use of all medicines, including vaccines.”

“Our sympathy goes out to anyone who has lost loved ones or reported health problems,” he said.

“From the body of evidence in clinical trials and real-world data, Vaxzevria has continuously been shown to have an acceptable safety profile and regulators around the world consistently state that the benefits of vaccination outweigh the risks of extremely rare potential side effects,” he added.

He said that the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Authority (MHRA) “has granted full marketing approval for Vaxzevria for the UK based on the safety profile and efficacy of the vaccine.”

According to its latest result released on Wednesday, AstraZeneca said that revenue from its COVID-19 treatments plunged to zero in the last quarter.