Brianne Dressen, a Utah mother of two, recently filed a lawsuit against a pharmaceutical company on the basis of a breached contract that promised to provide compensation for injuries caused by a clinical trial for the COVID-19 vaccine. Dressen participated in a clinical trial for AstraZeneca in November 2020 and suffered severe injuries after taking one dose of the vaccine. She shared her emotional story in an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital, expressing feelings of abandonment by the pharmaceutical company as she struggles to pay her mounting medical bills. Dressen stated that she felt she had no choice but to sue the company after experiencing “three and a half years of silence” from AstraZeneca.
In her lawsuit, Dressen claims that AstraZeneca breached their contract with her, which included provisions for medical and financial support in the event of vaccine-related injuries. Despite being diagnosed with “post-vaccine neuropathy” by the National Institute of Health, the company offered her a settlement of only around $1,200 for her lifelong injuries. Dressen expressed confusion as to why AstraZeneca is not providing the support agreed to in the contract. This lawsuit is the first filed against AstraZeneca in the U.S. related to the coronavirus vaccine trial, although the company faces over 50 other claims in Europe from individuals who either suffered injuries from the vaccine or lost loved ones after taking it.
The controversy surrounding AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine prompted the company to pull the vaccine from European markets in May due to a decline in demand. Dressen expressed sympathy for others involved in ongoing legal action against the company, describing the treatment as “inhumane.” She hopes that her lawsuit sheds light on the treatment of individuals who suffer harm from pharmaceutical products during clinical trials. Dressen emphasized that the issue extends beyond COVID-19 vaccines and applies to any pharmaceutical company in a similar situation, emphasizing the importance of being able to receive help if harmed by a vaccine or other pharmaceutical product.
Despite her reluctance to take legal action, Dressen felt compelled to sue AstraZeneca in order to hold them accountable for their failure to provide the promised support after she suffered severe vaccine-related injuries. She stressed that she is not willing to simply accept the consequences of the company’s actions and hopes that her lawsuit will raise awareness about the treatment of individuals in similar situations. Dressen highlighted the need for transparency and accountability in the pharmaceutical industry, especially when it comes to clinical trials and vaccine development. She urged greater awareness of the potential risks associated with participating in such trials and the necessity for companies to fulfill their obligations to participants who suffer harm as a result.
