Brianne Dressen’s Harrowing AstraZeneca Vaccine Reaction: Lawsuit Highlights Severe Side Effects
Brianne Dressen’s Vaccine Reaction and Ongoing Struggles
Brianne Dressen participated in a clinical trial for AstraZeneca’s Covid vaccine in 2020. She hoped to help develop a vaccine to end the pandemic. Initially, she felt proud and believed the vaccine would be safe.
However, after her first dose, Brianne experienced a severe reaction within an hour. She became nearly completely disabled and spent months in agony, even contemplating suicide to escape the pain. Her daily life now includes excruciating symptoms, such as feeling as if she is being electrocuted. This constant pain affects her ability to care for her children, aged 10 and 12.
Brianne described her suffering, stating, “The pain is something that I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy.” She wakes up and goes to sleep with the pain as a constant presence. When she takes medication to sleep, she feels as if she is “borrowing time from my future.”
In 2021, she was diagnosed with post-vaccine neuropathy, a rare condition causing tingling, numbness, and weakness after vaccination. She endured months in bed, unable to walk without help. Despite the pain, Brianne believes in vaccines. She supported local health efforts and had previously heard of friends participating in trials without any issues.
During the AstraZeneca trial, she signed a consent form promising financial support if she experienced severe side effects. To date, she claims the company has sent her only $590, a fraction of the up to $400,000 she spends annually on medical care and medications. In May, she filed a lawsuit against AstraZeneca for breach of contract, which is currently progressing through Utah courts.
AstraZeneca’s vaccine, while not approved in the U.S. due to blood clot concerns, was administered to millions. People have come forward, alleging serious vaccine-related injuries. The U.S. government’s compensation program has received over 14,000 applications for vaccine injuries.
Brianne’s case reflects the mental health toll of vaccine injuries. Seventy-three percent of members from the UK CV Family, representing injured individuals, reported contemplating suicide due to their conditions. Many feel isolated and stigmatized due to their experiences.
On November 4, 2020, Brianne’s ordeal began with a tingling sensation in her arm after vaccination. The feeling spread, and she visited the emergency room multiple times without proper medical guidance, as the vaccine was still under trial.
She expressed her feelings during her darkest moments, saying, “It wasn’t like I was pacing around the house like, ‘I am going to die’, it was… fantasizing about an escape.” AstraZeneca has not accepted responsibility for her injuries.
Brianne stated that the company shows no interest in helping her. She described her financial strain, saying medications have led to significant changes in her lifestyle, forcing her to re-mortgage her home.
Despite her struggles, she plans to release a book, titled Worth a Shot?: Secrets of the Clinical Trial Participant Who Inspired a Global Movement, on November 26. Proceeds will support organizations React19 and UKCVFamily, aiming to assist others facing similar challenges.