COVID vaccination and sudden deaths: A year-long, autopsy-based study from AIIMS, New Delhi, has reported no evidence that COVID-19 vaccines cause sudden deaths in young adults, adding fresh reassurance at a time when vaccine-related rumours continue to circulate.
The research, published in the Indian Journal of Medical Research, looked at sudden deaths in adults aged 18 to 45 years and found no statistically meaningful link between a person’s vaccination status and the occurrence of sudden death. Researchers said the findings support the overall safety profile of COVID-19 vaccines.
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The study, titled ‘Burden of Sudden Death in Young Adults: A One-Year Observational Study at a Tertiary Care Centre in India’, was carried out at AIIMS between May 2023 and April 2024 by teams from the Departments of Pathology and Forensic Medicine & Toxicology. Only cases that fit the definition of sudden death were included. Deaths due to trauma, suicide, homicide, and drug abuse were kept out to avoid confusion in interpretation.
Each case went through a detailed evaluation, including verbal autopsy, post-mortem imaging, a full autopsy, and histopathological examination. A multidisciplinary panel then reviewed the findings to decide the final cause of death.
During the study period, the forensic mortuary received 2,214 cases. Of these, 180 met the criteria for sudden death. Within that group, 103 deaths (57.2%) occurred in the 18–45 age bracket, while 77 deaths (42.8%) were among adults aged 46–65, allowing the researchers to compare patterns across age groups.
What stood out most was the underlying cause. Heart-related conditions were responsible for the majority of sudden deaths, followed by respiratory and other non-cardiac causes. Among young adults, coronary artery disease (CAD) remained the single leading cause, a finding the researchers described as worrying, especially because early CAD deaths in India are still not documented as widely as they should be. The study also noted that respiratory causes and unexplained deaths need more focused investigation.
After removing cases that could not be analysed properly due to advanced post-mortem changes, the final assessed group included 94 young cases and 68 older cases. The average age in the younger group was 33.6 years, and men outnumbered women by a ratio of 4.5:1.
Dr Sudheer Arava of AIIMS said the study matters because it pushes back against misleading narratives that connect vaccination to sudden deaths. He emphasised that public discussion should be shaped by scientific evidence, not speculation.
Health experts also pointed out that sudden deaths in younger people, though deeply distressing, are often linked to hidden or undiagnosed medical problems, particularly heart disease. They stressed the need for stronger public health steps such as early screening, lifestyle changes, and timely treatment, rather than fear-driven conclusions.