Nearly three dozen leading South African medical professionals and scientists have issued a strong letter of condemnation following a talk last week by controversial British cardiologist Dr Aseem Malhotra in the Western Cape legislature’s auditorium, where he spoke about “unsafe and ineffective” vaccines.
Malhotra, who has a history of promoting vaccine hesitancy, has been outspoken about Covid-19 vaccines, calling for an end to the jabs and claiming they could be behind excess deaths from coronary artery disease. He has also said out-of-hospital heart attacks have been linked to the mRNA vaccines, and that they carry a cardiovascular risk.
He was invited by the province’s deputy Speaker, Beverley Schäfer, who had extended an invitation to members of the National Assembly, National Council of Provinces and MPLs to listen to the talk by Malhotra.
Head of the SA Medical Research Council’s Professor Linda-Gail Bekker said the incident had reminded her of HIV and Aids denialism in the early 2000s, reports News24.
“So-called experts would come and trot out drivel around antiretrovirals being dangerous and toxic. Vulnerable people lost their lives because they were confused about what advice to take.
“This can cost people’s well-being, or even their lives. That was certainly the case in the era of Aids denialism.”
Bekker said South Africa had numerous experts who could have been called on to educate the public and politicians, instead of relying on foreign doctors who “spread fear and alarm”.
She added it was especially concerning when unsubstantiated claims were given legitimacy by political leaders. “While there are side-effects, there is also overwhelming evidence that antiretrovirals save lives. In my opinion, that holds true for Covid-19 vaccines and vaccination in general.
“We know there are some rare side-effects, but there is indisputable global evidence that Covid-19 vaccines have had an impact on severe illness and mortality.
“To suggest anything other than that undermines the Covid-19 vaccination campaign and can spill over and impact on childhood vaccination campaigns.”
Gray was among the group of 33 health professionals who this week issued a statement slamming the visit, and signed by, among others, Prof Shabir Madhi (head of Vaccinology, Wits), Salim Abdool Karim, Professor and Director: Caprisa & Pro Vice-Chancellor, UKZN, and Marc Mendelson, Professor of Infectious Diseases, UCT.
The statement was published in Daily Maverick.
They wrote that Malhotra is known to have strong and controversial views on Covid-19 vaccines and his claims that the risks of vaccination outweigh benefits have been expressed in public forums, including here in South Africa.
While Malhotra states that he is presenting evidence-based data, they stated, his “evidence” is cherry-picked, anecdotal, or comprises falsely linked side effects to Covid-19 vaccination.
Malhotra, a cardiologist at the ROC Private Clinic in the UK, has specifically claimed that Covid-19 vaccines have harmful cardiac effects, a view refuted by the British Heart Foundation which said: “The scientific consensus is that the benefits of Covid-19 vaccination, including a reduced risk of severe illness or death, far outweigh the very small risk of rare side-effects”
Malhotra’s views “represent a tiny minority and giving him a platform in SA undermines the public health interest for Covid-19 vaccination and could inadvertently compromise the childhood vaccination programmes that save thousands of children’s lives annually in South Africa alone”.
More than 13.3bn Covid-19 vaccines have been administered worldwide. A recent modelling study estimated that 14-20m lives were saved by deploying Covid-19 vaccines since late 2020, and hospitalisations continue to be averted in individuals who are boosted.
They wrote that “the misleading and false information .. also creates unwarranted doubt about other vaccines”.
While Malhotra’s recent talk was on ethically based health care, they added, it is well known he has called for the halting of Covid-19 vaccination due to “horrific and unprecedented Covid vaccine injuries”. He stated in a tweet related to the event that “change is coming”.
Freedom of speech and freedom to hear a variety of views is an important part of the South African Constitution, but “giving apparent political and leadership endorsement to views that are not substantiated, and delivered unopposed without opportunity for rebuttal by health experts, undermines sound public health messaging, and is a direct threat to public safety”, they wrote.
Malhotra is allied to known conspiracy groups like Health Advisory and Recovery Team and the Children’s Health Defence, an organisation opposing vaccination.
“Giving him opportunities for public forums also elevates the anti-vaccination lobby and amplifies their dangerous campaigns which potentially undermines all vaccine programmes.
“This group – representing South African vaccine scientists and public health specialists – categorically rejects Malhotra’s views, which lack evidence and scientific validity. We strongly endorse the importance of vaccination as a critical public health intervention.”
Rely on science
SA Medical Association (SAMA) chairperson Dr Mvuyisi Mzukwa told News24 the organisation believed healthcare should be evidence-based and decision-makers should rely on science when drafting policy.
“Vaccination has been proven to be a useful tool in saving lives. That doesn’t mean it doesn’t have side-effects.
“Every medicine, herbal or Western, can have side-effects. But we must weigh the risks against the benefits.”
Public health expert Professor Alex van der Heever said it was highly problematic to have purported experts appear on a public platform, spreading misinformation about vaccination.
“People often don’t check credentials and simply trust anyone in a white coat with a stethoscope. These people are manipulating the public and telling them not to trust top scientists and regulatory authorities.”
Meanwhile, Western Cape Premier Alan Winde is also irate, saying that neither the provincial Department of Health & Wellness nor his office was involved in the event.
“International scientific evidence clearly shows that Covid-19 vaccines are the best tools to manage the virus and continue to save lives,” he said.
Defending the talk, Schäfer said she had a list of speakers she would invite on myriad “interesting topics that could enhance inter-party relationships across all levels of Parliament – National Assembly, NCOP, and the legislature”.
“Dr Malhotra just happened to be in Cape Town and I was able to get him for a lecture on the topic of Ethical Based Health Care.”
She had also invited all members from all parties sitting on the health committees, from the National Assembly, NCOP and the legislature, to attend on a voluntary basis.
Schäfer added that Malhotra had not addressed the legislature, but had spoken in the auditorium, which was a public venue.
Regarding the outrage over his views, Schäfer said it was “totally out of context”.
“It was just a talk and nothing else. People don’t have the facts. It was on ethically-based healthcare.”
But Winde said that while he respected the legislature was a separate arm of government, he hoped a probe would be initiated.
After Winde’s statement, the Western Cape Parliament's Speaker, Daylin Mitchell, clarified that the legislature did not organise or host the lecture presented by Malhotra.
“The event was organised by a member of the WCPP, who legitimately accessed the facility in that capacity. The views expressed do not reflect those of the Western Cape Provincial Parliament.”
Within the DA party ranks, members were concerned that, in a country where so many people were sceptical about vaccines, it was bizarre that Schafer would encourage talks promoting anti-vaccinations. “She was out of line,” said one.
SAMA’s Mzukwa said negative messages about vaccinations could stop communities from ensuring their children received their scheduled childhood vaccinations, and could cause a ripple effect of increased illnesses, like measles.
South Africa has already been battling an almost six-month-long measles outbreak in all provinces except for the Eastern Cape.
The National Institute for Communicable Diseases’ tracking data shows that, by 4 March, laboratory tests had confirmed 727 cases.
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