Additional Side Effects Recognized for COVID-19 Vaccines, Including Uterine Bleeding

Individuals who experience abnormal uterine bleeding, facial nerve palsy, tinnitus, or similar conditions after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine will now be eligible to apply for official compensation as acknowledged side effects of the vaccine.

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According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) on April 18, the COVID-19 Vaccination Compensation and Reconsideration Committee has decided to expand the list of conditions suspected to be related to vaccination from 'support' cases to 'compensation' cases.

As a result, the following conditions have been newly added to the list of eligible compensation cases: ▲cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (AstraZeneca, Janssen) ▲capillary leak syndrome (AstraZeneca, Janssen) ▲Guillain-Barre syndrome (AstraZeneca, Janssen) ▲immune thrombocytopenia (AstraZeneca, Janssen) ▲acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (AstraZeneca) ▲venous thrombosis (Janssen) ▲erythema multiforme (Pfizer, Moderna) ▲transverse myelitis (AstraZeneca, Janssen, Pfizer, Moderna) ▲cutaneous small-vessel vasculitis (Janssen) ▲tinnitus (AstraZeneca, Janssen) ▲facial swelling after filler procedures (Pfizer, Moderna) ▲facial nerve palsy (AstraZeneca, Janssen, Pfizer, Moderna) ▲abnormal uterine bleeding (all vaccines)-a total of 13 conditions.

Previously, compensation for myocarditis and pericarditis was available only to recipients of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, but now those who received the Novavax vaccine will also be eligible.

Last year, the government and the National Assembly enacted and implemented the "Special Act on COVID-19 Vaccination Injury Compensation." Prior to the enforcement of this special act, compensation was granted only for 12 conditions with clearly recognized causality linked to the vaccine. With the new legislation, the government announced its intention to provide broader relief opportunities by applying less stringent criteria than before.

With this new measure, individuals who previously received a "suspected correlation" decision during the review process can now apply for reconsideration. An official from the KDCA stated, "The range of conditions recognized as suspected to be related varies depending on the type of vaccine received," adding, "Even if a new applicant is diagnosed with a suspected correlation condition, the Compensation Committee will determine eligibility after evaluating the temporal relationship between vaccination and onset."

If a case is officially recognized for compensation, fixed caregiver costs in addition to medical expenses can also be supported. The KDCA emphasized, "We will actively support the Compensation and Reconsideration Committee so that deliberations can proceed according to the provisions of the special act."

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