Compensation Lawsuit over AstraZeneca Vaccine Side Effects Adjourned to 12 June for Submission of Defendant’s Documents

On Thursday, 8 May 2025, the Fourth Compensation Circuit of the South Giza Primary Court ordered the adjournment of case no. 7208 of 2024—filed by the Egyptian Center for Economic and Social Rights (ECESR)—to the hearing scheduled for 12 June 2025. The action is brought against the legal representative of AstraZeneca, the Prime Minister in his official capacity, the Minister of Health, and the Chairperson of the Egyptian Drug Authority, both in their official capacities. The claimant seeks pecuniary compensation in the amount of EGP 3 million on behalf of a citizen who allegedly sustained severe and life-threatening side effects as a result of receiving the defendant company’s COVID-19 vaccine.

The adjournment was granted to enable the defendant company to submit certain documents which it had previously requested the Court’s permission to obtain.

At the latest hearing, counsel for AstraZeneca requested an extension to file the aforementioned documents. During a prior session, the company raised a jurisdictional objection, seeking dismissal of the action on the ground that it was brought by a party lacking legal standing. The company further contended that the Egyptian entity is not a subsidiary or affiliate of the international AstraZeneca group, but rather a local entity responsible solely for repackaging and distributing pharmaceutical products imported from abroad.

The injured party, a 44-year-old security supervisor, was reportedly in good health prior to receiving the first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine in December 2021, pursuant to governmental directives mandating vaccination for certain population groups. However, within less than a month of receiving the initial dose, he allegedly suffered a coronary artery thrombosis, necessitating cardiac catheterization and stent implantation. Following administration of the second dose in February 2022, the claimant’s condition purportedly deteriorated further, with recurring anginal episodes and a need for additional cardiac interventions.

The ECESR asserts that AstraZeneca has acknowledged—both publicly and in litigation documents—that its vaccine may, in rare instances, cause Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (TTS), a serious condition characterized by thrombosis and a significant reduction in platelet count, which may result in death or permanent injury. The Center refers to legal filings submitted by AstraZeneca in a UK court in February 2024, wherein the company admitted prior knowledge of these adverse effects—raising serious questions about its legal and ethical liability.

The claimant further alleges that he was not adequately informed of the vaccine’s potential risks at the time of administration and that his consent was obtained under duress due to compulsory governmental directives, thereby implicating state authorities in shared liability for the resulting harm.

The suit references similar compensation claims brought in jurisdictions such as the United Kingdom, Australia, and Morocco, where thousands of individuals have resorted to legal proceedings in an attempt to secure redress for harm allegedly caused by the AstraZeneca vaccine. The statement of claim relies on Article 163 of the Egyptian Civil Code, which provides that any person who, through fault, causes harm to another shall be liable to provide full compensation.

The lawsuit thus petitions the Court to award the claimant damages for the physical, psychological, and financial injuries sustained as a result of the vaccine.

This legal action comes in the wake of AstraZeneca’s recent decision to withdraw its COVID-19 vaccine from global markets, following media disclosures that the company acknowledged, in judicial documents, that the vaccine may result in serious adverse events—including blood clot formation and thrombocytopenia—within two months of administration.

The withdrawal was announced after several dozen families in the UK initiated a class action lawsuit, seeking millions of pounds in damages. These families allege that their loved ones experienced serious complications or died due to what they characterize as inherent defects in the vaccine. The move is considered a rare de facto acknowledgment by the company of potential causation between the vaccine and these adverse effects.