“Contributed risk from other factors, however, does not exonerate the vaccine, which was used on patients with, and without those risk factors.”
Introduction: Investigating Unanswered Questions
The COVID-19 vaccination program is one of the largest global public health initiatives in history. With over 13 billion doses administered worldwide, serious adverse events must be systematically studied to ensure safety. A newly published systematic review, A Systematic Review of Autopsy Findings in Deaths After COVID-19 Vaccination, by Hulscher et al., examines the role of vaccines in post-mortem cases.
This study reviews 325 autopsy cases, concluding that 73.9% of the deaths were causally linked to COVID-19 vaccination. The leading causes of death included sudden cardiac events, thromboembolic complications, myocarditis, and immune-mediated conditions such as vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT). These findings underscore the importance of continuous monitoring and investigation.
Key Findings and Their Context
Of the 325 cases reviewed, causality was assessed using clearly described, standardized criteria, revealing:
- Sudden cardiac death accounted for 35% of vaccine-related cases.
- Thromboembolic events (pulmonary embolism and VITT) represented significant contributors at 12.5% and 7.9%, respectively.
- Myocardial infarction (12%), myocarditis (7.1%), and multisystem inflammatory syndrome (4.6%) were also implicated.
These findings raise sound concerns. Causality assessments in autopsy studies rely on detailed pathological examinations and clinical correlation. These methods are robust in spite of a few hypothetical limitations, such as increased risk due to pre-existing conditions, which may be understudied due to incomplete medical histories.
Hellbound and Down 