[2020 National Audit] At Least 10 More Deaths After Influenza Vaccination Unidentified by KDCA

Shin Hyun-young "Disease Control Agency announced 25 cases, but some paid vaccinations not included"
Vaccine adverse reactions, dual system of free Disease Control Agency and paid Pharmaceutical Management Institute

On the morning of the 22nd, a citizen is receiving a flu vaccination at the Seoul Eastern Branch of the Korea Association of Health Promotion in Seoul.

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dae-yeol] Since 2009 until last year, it has been confirmed that at least 35 people have died after receiving influenza (flu) vaccinations. This number is more than 10 higher than what the government initially announced. Recently, as cases of death following flu vaccinations have continued, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) reviewed previously reported adverse reaction cases and announced 25 deaths the day before; however, this figure excluded those who received paid vaccinations.

On the 22nd, during the National Assembly Health and Welfare Committee’s comprehensive audit, Assemblywoman Shin Hyun-young of the Democratic Party disclosed this information after separately organizing data provided by the KDCA and the Korea Institute of Drug Safety & Risk Management (KIDS). According to this, the KDCA received reports of 25 deaths from 2009 through last year, while KIDS, an affiliate of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, reported 17 cases.

According to Assemblywoman Shin’s office, some cases since 2015 were reported to both the KDCA and KIDS, indicating duplicate reporting, whereas cases from 2009 to 2014 have not been confirmed for duplication. The number of overlapping cases ranges from at least 4 to as many as 7. This means that the number of deaths after vaccination is not 25 as the KDCA announced the day before, but at least 35, possibly up to 38.

Assemblywoman Shin stated, "Although the KDCA briefed that there were 25 deaths after flu vaccination, our actual findings show at least 35 cases, and some have not even been checked for duplication. Earlier, on the first day of the audit (the 7th), I requested a thorough follow-up on adverse events related to flu vaccines, but overall, management is lacking," she criticized.

National Assembly Health and Welfare Committee member Shin Hyun-young of the Democratic Party of Korea

Adverse Reactions Reported Separately to Free KDCA and Paid KIDS
"Cooperation and Communication Between Two Agencies Slow... Detailed Explanation Needed"

This discrepancy appears to stem from a dual system for post-vaccination management. The national immunization program, which is free for children and the elderly, is managed by the KDCA, while paid vaccinations for the general adult population are monitored by KIDS. It has become evident that information sharing between the two agencies is not smooth. Although there is no direct causal relationship between vaccination and the vaccine itself, safety is crucial regardless of whether the vaccine is free or paid, so there are calls to manage adverse reaction cases more meticulously.

Assemblywoman Shin said, "KIDS manages adverse events after paid vaccine administration, but it seems that cooperation and communication with the KDCA are not smooth. Accurate and transparent information must be provided to the public with detailed explanations about adverse events," she emphasized.

Meanwhile, this year, a case of Guillain-Barr? syndrome, one of the severe adverse reactions, was confirmed, and compensation of about 8 million KRW was paid to the vaccinated individual. According to data on flu vaccine damage relief payments submitted by KIDS to Assemblywoman Shin’s office, a man in his 40s who received a vaccine from Green Cross exhibited symptoms of Guillain-Barr? syndrome, which was recognized as a side effect of the vaccine after expert review. This syndrome is one of the systemic adverse reactions to inactivated vaccines, characterized as a neurological inflammatory disease where the immune system attacks peripheral or cranial nerves. Sensory or muscle paralysis progresses over hours to days, making it a severe adverse reaction.