Moroccan Court Overturns Compensation Ruling for AstraZeneca Vaccine Side Effects

In a significant legal development, the Administrative Court of Appeal in Rabat has reversed a prior judgment that mandated the Moroccan government to compensate a woman for health complications allegedly caused by the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.

Initially, the Administrative Court of Rabat had awarded MAD 250,000 ($25,000) to Najat Taouti, a university professor at Ibn Tofail University, who claimed she experienced paralysis in her lower limbs and face following her vaccination. Taouti asserted that the vaccine induced inflammation of her nervous system, impairing her mobility.

Despite her doctors’ efforts to alert the Ministry of Health about her condition, Taouti reported receiving no response. The original ruling was grounded in an expert report that established a causal link between the vaccination and Taouti's health issues. Furthermore, the court emphasized the state's duty to protect citizens from vaccine-related risks, given its role in authorizing and promoting the vaccines.

However, on July 24, the Administrative Court of Appeal annulled this decision, rejecting Taouti's claims and requiring her to cover the legal expenses. The court has not disclosed the rationale behind its reversal.

This case unfolds amid wider scrutiny of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine. The pharmaceutical company has recently started withdrawing the vaccine globally, acknowledging in court documents that it can cause rare but serious side effects. The British newspaper The Telegraph reported that AstraZeneca admitted to these potential side effects after months of initial recognition.

Morocco's Minister of Health and Social Protection, Khalid Ait Taleb, has disclosed that 54,423 Moroccans reported side effects linked to the AstraZeneca vaccine, with 211 cases classified as severe by the World Health Organization. Despite these figures, no fatalities associated with vaccine-induced immune thrombocytopenia syndrome have been documented worldwide.

In response to the side effects, the Ministry of Health has instituted a patient monitoring system and provides free healthcare for those severely affected, necessitating extensive examinations and treatment. Additionally, the National Anti-Poison and Pharmacovigilance Center has been collecting data on post-vaccination side effects since the national vaccination campaign commenced in January 2021.

This case highlights ongoing debates over vaccine safety and governmental responsibility, underscoring the complexities faced by health authorities in managing public health crises.