On Monday, the attorneys that regularly represent ICAN filed a lawsuit against COVID-19 vaccine manufacturer AstraZeneca on behalf of Brianne (“Bri”) Dressen, co-founder of REACT19, who suffered severe neurological harm while participating in AstraZeneca’s U.S. COVID-19 vaccine clinical trial. AstraZeneca is being sued for breach of contract after callously ignoring Bri’s pleas for aid. This is likely the first case of its kind.
Bri was a healthy and active 39-year-old wife, mother, and preschool teacher when she signed up for the AstraZeneca clinical trial and received her first dose of the company’s COVID-19 vaccine on November 4, 2020. Shortly after her shot, she experienced tingling and prickling in her arms, blurred vision, headache, sound sensitivity, tinnitus, nausea, and vomiting. Bri’s condition continued to worsen as time went on, baffling her doctors, and yet AstraZeneca refused to provide any information, medical referrals, medical care, or finances to assist with her treatment.
Bri was eventually diagnosed with “Post Vaccine Neuropathy” by none other than the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This post-vaccine neuropathy caused chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP), a condition which has caused constant, abnormal, and painful sensations with which Bri has suffered, including the feeling of being repeatedly and constantly electrocuted. This leaves Bri in constant pain and has resulted in her inability to work or fully care for her children for the past three-and-a-half years.
As ICAN supporters well know, the PREP Act prevents vaccine recipients like Bri from suing COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers for their injuries. However, AstraZeneca’s informed consent form, which Bri signed in order to participate in the trial, promised to “provide medical treatment or refer you for treatment” and “to cover the costs of research injuries.” Despite this, AstraZeneca ignored numerous requests for support before finally offering Bri the laughable sum of $1,243.30—a minuscule fraction of the medical bills, lost wages, and other expenses that she and her family had incurred. Worse, AstraZeneca conditioned its offer on Bri agreeing to release the company of all further financial responsibility for her care! Bri refused to accept this deal.
Fortunately, the attorneys that regularly represent ICAN have stepped in and filed a breach of contract suit to hold AstraZeneca accountable for the promises it made to Bri. They have requested a jury trial and look forward to holding AstraZeneca responsible. Rest assured, ICAN will follow the case closely as the attorneys hold AstraZeneca’s feet to the proverbial fire and demand justice for Bri!
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