Pharmacist who took his own life after COVID jab complications was denied compensation

The family of an NHS pharmacist who took his own life after suffering paralysing complications from a COVID jab are calling for urgent reform of the government’s compensation scheme for vaccine damage.

John Cross was told by the official medical assessor for the scheme that the jab had caused his rare neurological effects, but that he wasn’t disabled enough for a payment.

Mr Cross was unable to move, blink or breathe after his first dose of the vaccine.

He spent seven months recovering in hospital but was left with chronic pain and numbness – and suffered several relapses.

After he was rejected by the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme (VDPS), his mental health deteriorated and he took his own life.

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