CDC Finds No Link Between COVID Vaccines And Cardiac Death In Young People
Topline
There is no evidence to suggest COVID vaccines could cause sudden cardiac death and other heart problems in young people, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday, following a string of unfounded conspiracy theories in recent years linking the vaccines to cardiac arrest in young athletes.
Key Facts
The findings follow an analysis of nearly 1,300 death certificates of Oregon residents ages 16 to 30 who died from any heart condition or unknown reasons between June 2021 and December 2022, the CDC said.
Of the 101 death certificates that didn’t rule out a cardiac event as the cause of death, 40 indicated the person received an mRNA vaccine from Pfizer or Moderna—only three of which died within 100 days of vaccination—though none of the death certificates listed vaccination as either the immediate or contributing cause of death.
Two of those deaths were attributed to chronic underlying health conditions and the third was attributed to an “undetermined natural cause,” as toxicology tests were negative for alcohol, cannabis and methamphetamine, among other substances, according to the CDC.
The CDC noted its report can’t exclude the possibility of cardiac deaths associated with COVID vaccines more than 100 days after vaccination, though published data indicates “adverse events” associated with vaccines typically occur within 42 days.
The study was in response to claims myocarditis—inflammation of the heart muscle—occurred in young people and athletes after they received a COVID vaccine, the CDC said.
Key Background
Myocarditis after receiving a COVID vaccine is rare, the CDC said. Rates of myocarditis after vaccines are highest among males in their late teens and early 20s, according to the agency, which noted evidence indicates the benefits of receiving a COVID vaccine outweigh the risk of myocarditis. A study published last May indicated COVID vaccines are associated with a reduced risk of major adverse cardiac events, like heart failure. Another study published in December found no evidence linking COVID vaccines to heart health problems in young athletes, while other researchers found a lack of evidence indicating an increase in sudden cardiac deaths among young people after COVID vaccines were introduced.
Tangent
A study published in February found COVID vaccines from Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca were linked to rare occurrences of heart, brain and blood disorders. Despite the link, experts told Forbes the risk of developing COVID-19 outweighed the risks of getting vaccinated.
