Siddaramaiah's 'duty' reply to Mazumdar-Shaw's vaccine post

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday (July 4) responded to Biocon Limited's Executive Chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, who had criticised him for his recent comments suggesting a possible link between COVID-19 vaccines and the surge in heart-related deaths in Hassan district.

The Chief Minister's response follows a strong statement from the Biocon chief, who had called out Siddaramaiah for a ‘factually incorrect’ statement regarding the ‘hasty’ approval of Covid-19 vaccines and suggesting that the recent heart attack deaths may be linked to the Covid vaccination drive.

Also Read: Biocon chief rejects Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah’s remarks on COVID vaccines

'Caution is not anti-science'

Responding to Shaw, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), Siddaramaiah said that as chief minister, “I have a duty to respond to the genuine concerns of people who have lost loved ones unexpectedly. When parents lose their young children or families lose breadwinners without warning, seeking clarity is not misinformation; it is an act of governance rooted in empathy.”

Adding that "Scientific caution is not anti-science," he said that many peer-reviewed studies have discussed myocarditis and cardiac arrest risk, particularly among young adults post-COVID vaccination.

Publicly funded stakeholders must acknowledge both the benefits and the potential risks without fear or favour, he added.

"When I said ‘hastily’, it reflects the unprecedented speed of the emergency rollout globally without complete long-term data, acknowledged even by WHO and global regulatory agencies, who termed it a ‘calculated risk’ during a pandemic. Haste is not a sin when saving lives, but acknowledging potential unintended consequences is wisdom.”

He was merely seeking answers and not shifting blame, he said.

'Factually incorrect information'

Shaw on Thursday strongly defended the vaccine approval process in India, calling suggestions of hasty clearances “factually incorrect” and potentially harmful.

“These vaccines have saved millions of lives and, like all vaccines, may cause side effects in a very small number of individuals,” she had written, urging public discourse to remain rooted in science and evidence.

In a social media post, Shaw said, “Covid-19 vaccines developed in India were approved under the Emergency Use Authorisation framework, following rigorous protocols aligned with global standards for safety and efficacy. To suggest that these vaccines were ‘hastily’ approved is factually incorrect and contributes to public misinformation.”

"It is important to acknowledge the science and data-driven processes behind their development, rather than engage in retrospective blame," she had asserted.

Also Read: No link with Covid vaccines, says Serum Institute on Hassan cardiac deaths

Shaw clarifies her stance

Responding to Karnataka Siddaramaiah’s recent statement on the government’s intent behind probing a spate of sudden deaths in Hassan district, Shaw has clarified her stance on Covid-19 vaccine approvals, stating that her earlier remarks may have been made in haste, while reiterating her confidence in the rigorous processes followed for vaccine approval in India.

She said that while she concurs with the Chief Minister about asking questions and seeking answers in science, she clarified that her comments were related to whether Covid vaccines were approved in haste.

Shaw wrote on X, “My comments related to whether Covid vaccines were approved in haste n my response was that due process was followed as prescribed by WHO for safety n efficacy for EUA. Losing lives in a sudden manner is always tragic n I am glad an investigation is being conducted in Hassan District (sic).”