Egyptian Center Takes AstraZeneca to Court: Pursuing Compensation As Seeking Accountability for Vaccine Side Effects
The Egyptian Center for Economic and Social Rights has filed legal proceedings (Case No. 7208/2024) before the South Giza Primary Court against the legal representative of AstraZeneca, the Prime Minister, the Minister of Health, and the Chairman of the Egyptian Drug Authority. The lawsuit seeks EGP 3 million in compensation on behalf of a citizen who suffered severe and life-altering side effects after receiving the company’s COVID-19 vaccine.
The claimant, a 44-year-old security supervisor with no prior health conditions, received his first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine in December 2021, following government-mandated vaccination directives. Within less than a month, he suffered a coronary artery thrombosis that required a stent placement. After receiving his second dose in February 2022, his condition deteriorated further, marked by recurrent angina and the necessity for additional cardiac interventions.
The lawsuit underscores AstraZeneca’s acknowledgment of the vaccine’s rare but serious side effects, including thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS), a potentially fatal condition involving blood clots. Legal documents submitted by AstraZeneca to a UK court in February 2024 revealed the company’s awareness of these risks, raising critical concerns about its legal and ethical responsibility. The Center further contends that the claimant was not adequately informed of these risks and was compelled to take the vaccine due to mandatory government policies, making both AstraZeneca and the relevant authorities jointly liable.
The case draws comparisons to similar lawsuits filed in countries such as the UK, Australia, and Morocco, where thousands have sought compensation for vaccine-related injuries. The lawsuit cites Article 163 of the Egyptian Civil Code, which stipulates that any party responsible for harm through negligence is liable for compensation. It seeks equitable redress for the claimant’s physical, psychological, and financial damages.
AstraZeneca recently announced the global withdrawal of its COVID-19 vaccine following media reports detailing its acknowledgment in legal filings of serious side effects, including blood clots and reduced platelet counts, occurring within two months of vaccination.
This announcement came in the wake of a class-action lawsuit in the UK, where families are demanding multimillion-pound compensation for injuries and deaths allegedly linked to the vaccine. The company’s admission of these risks marks a significant and unusual acknowledgment of the potential dangers associated with its product.
