BioNTech is facing compensation lawsuits filed in Germany by two law firms at the request of hundreds of people claiming to have suffered permanent health damage from the coronavirus Covid-19 vaccine. BioNTech, one of the world’s most important biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, will appear in the first German court on the allegations in a lawsuit filed on behalf of a middle-aged healthcare worker on June 12.

Alleged brain fog and heart rhythm disorder after BioNTech vaccine

The person in question is seeking compensation of 150,000 Euros for symptoms such as heart arrhythmia and brain fog, which he says appeared after receiving the vaccine. The case in Germany is just one of hundreds of claims for compensation of up to 1 million Euros pursued by two law firms. The law firms in question are Cäsar-Preller and Rogert & Ulbrich, which have successfully received compensation for consumers due to Volkswagen’s diesel emissions scandal.

Given that nearly three-quarters of the 224 million vaccine doses administered in Germany were produced by BioNTech in collaboration with Pfizer, the vast majority of lawsuits were filed against BioNTech, which pioneered the use of mRNA in vaccines. The lawsuits in Germany represent the largest compensation claim BioNTech has faced worldwide since gaining fame during the pandemic.

Side effects are present

While peer-reviewed studies indicate that side effects from Covid-19 vaccines are rare, side effects do exist, including four types of neurological complications and an inflammation of the heart known as myocarditis. We have mentioned these side effects in the related article below.

BioNTech: No side effects other than those listed in the product information

BioNTech, founded by Uğur Şahin and Özlem Türeci, who faced a lawsuit for compensation for the first time due to the side effects of the Covid-19 vaccine, argues that the allegations about the side effects of the vaccine developed together with Pfizer are unfair. “After continuous monitoring of the vaccine’s safety profile and the administration of more than 2.6 billion doses of Covid-19 vaccine worldwide, no potential side effects other than those already listed in the relevant product information have been identified to date,” the company said in a statement.

What if BioNTech is found guilty?

A decision against BioNTech would not directly incur serious financial damage due to EU laws that largely protect vaccine manufacturers from legal liability if they cause unforeseen side effects, and instead hold national governments accountable.

Still, the company has had to use extra law firms to deal with the increasing litigation load, and it looks like it will continue to do so. However, if BioNTech loses a significant portion of the lawsuits, a global stream of claims could begin.