German court requests legal opinion in lawsuit against AstraZeneca

By Oliver Towfigh Nia

BERLIN (AA) - A court in the southern German city of Bamberg on Monday requested a legal opinion in a lawsuit against British pharmaceuticals giant AstraZeneca.

The Higher State Court raised doubts as to whether the defendant – AstraZeneca – had provided sufficient information about side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine after a woman had sued for damages.

“The Senate (higher court) is currently assuming that the plaintiff would not have been vaccinated with the AstraZeneca vaccine if the risk of intestinal vein thrombosis had been presented in the manufacturer’s technical information,” the court announced in a press statement.

The court would like “to obtain an expert opinion” aimed at clarifying the question of “whether a presentation in the specialist information was required based on the scientific status at the time,” the statement added.

A 33-year-old woman from Bavaria is suing the manufacturer for a total of €867,200 ($946,500) in damages.

In March 2021, the woman was vaccinated with the British-Swedish company’s Vaxzevria COVID-19 vaccine and then suffered what is known as intestinal vein thrombosis. She went into a coma and eventually had to have part of her intestines removed.

A district court in the southern city of Hof had previously dismissed the woman’s lawsuit because it could find neither a product error nor an information error in connection with the vaccine. The woman appealed against this decision.

AstraZeneca’s legal team has so far ruled out a settlement with the plaintiff, referring to the decision of the district court.