Covid vaccine injury: Gold Coast woman Frances White to join class action

A Gold Coast woman went from a healthy mum to being hospitalised just four days after her first dose of Pfizer vaccine - now she’s suing.

A Gold Coast woman who fears she will “never be the same again” after being diagnosed with pericarditis has joined a landmark Covid vaccine injury class action lawsuit.

Upper Coomera’s Frances White, 47, went from a healthy mum to being hospitalised with severe chest pain just four days after her first dose of Pfizer vaccine.

“I’m not an anti-vaxxer. I did get the vaccine of my own free will and was not mandated into it or anything,” she said.

But the mum reported feeling pressure on her chest just hours after receiving it.

Upper Coomera woman Frances White. Picture: John Gass

Mrs White was later diagnosed with Covid vaccine induced pericarditis – a swelling and irritation around the heart which often causes sharp chest pain.

Since then, she has also suffered chronic fatigue, post-exertion malaise and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), a condition which causes a fast heartrate and dizziness.

Almost two years later, Mrs White continued to struggle with ongoing health complications and felt like a “shell” of her former self.

An Upper Coomera woman has joined a landmark Covid vaccine injury class action lawsuit. Picture: Tony McDonough / NCA NewsWire

“I might be able to manage my symptoms better as time goes on, but I’ll never be the same again,” she said.

“The first six months after it happened, I was completely housebound and could not do anything. Now I have got myself to a point where I have a few usable hours in the day, but that has come largely due to my self-funded alternative treatments.”

The 47-year-old estimated she had spent more than $30,000 on IV vitamin therapy, supplements and hyperbaric oxygen therapy to treat her condition.

Mrs White joined the Covid vaccine injury class action organised and crowdfunded by Queensland GP Dr Melissa McCann.

People wait to be vaccinated at a Covid-19 vaccination hub on the Gold Coast. Picture: NCA NewsWire /Jono Searle

The suit alleged negligence, breach of statutory duty and misfeasance in public office by the Commonwealth government and the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).

“The action will argue that the Therapeutic Goods Administration did not fulfil their duty to properly regulate the Covid-19 vaccines, resulting in considerable harm and damage to Australians,” NR Barbi Solicitor’s Natalie Strijland said.

Dr McCann said the suit was necessary, alleging Services Australia’s compensation scheme had “failed vaccine injured Australians”.

Prominent Gold Coast lawyer Bill Potts, who is not involved in the suit, said it required the plaintiffs to prove more likely than not their injury and loss was a direct result of having the vaccine.

“The pain and anguish of the claimants is undeniable, but it is the cause of those injuries which is in dispute,” Mr Potts, a former president of the Queensland Law Society, said.

A federal Department of Health spokesperson said they were aware of the class action case but could not comment as the matter was before the court.

As of April 30, the TGA had recorded 138,443 adverse event reports from more than 66.4 million Covid vaccine doses administered.

The TGA identified 14 reports where the cause of death was linked to vaccination and noted there had been no new vaccine-related deaths identified since 2022.

“Vaccination against Covid-19 is the most effective way to reduce deaths and severe illness from infection,” its latest safety report said.

“The protective benefits of vaccination far outweigh the potential risks.

“The TGA closely monitors reports of suspected side effects, also known as adverse events, to the Covid-19 vaccines. This is the most intensive safety monitoring ever conducted of any vaccines in Australia.”