The National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) has awarded NT$3.5 million (US$116,877) to the family of a person in Tainan who died of intracerebral hemorrhage after receiving a dose of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.
A VICP meeting held on June 23 reviewed 65 cases of suspected adverse reactions after COVID-19 vaccination, and compensation was granted in 10 cases: seven involving the AstraZeneca vaccine, and one case each with the Medigen, Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines.
The NT$3.5 million case involved a person surnamed Lin (林). Ten days after receiving a dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine, Lin was hospitalized with a headache and vomiting, and a blood test indicated thrombocytopenia — a low platelet count.
However, Lin was discharged the next day.
Lin was again rushed to hospital after losing consciousness that night, and a computed tomography (CT) scan of their head showed a severe hemorrhage in the left temporal lobe and a subarachnoid hemorrhage. Lin died of intracerebral hemorrhage.
Lin did not have a medical history of underlying health conditions, and although thrombocytopenia was detected, no blood clots were found, so the case did not meet the criteria for thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome, the VICP’s report said.
Considering the chronology of events and Lin’s clinical symptoms, the VICP said that the intracerebral hemorrhage was linked to serious thrombocytopenia.
There is no evidence linking immune thrombocytopenia and the AstraZeneca vaccine, so the compensation was granted, it said.
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