Natalie Boyce: Victoria coroner investigates if woman’s death is linked to Moderna Covid vaccine

A Victorian coroner is investigating whether a woman’s death from heart inflammation after receiving her third Covid-19 jab was due to the Moderna vaccine.

Moderna has called in its own medical expert as it faces an inquest in Victoria investigating whether a 21-year-old woman died as a result of the Covid-19 vaccine.

The pharmaceutical company’s lawyers appeared in Melbourne’s Coroners Court on Wednesday for a hearing into Natalie Boyce’s death.

Ms Boyce received her third Covid shot on February 18, 2022, the Moderna mRNA vaccine, counsel representing Jessika Syrjanen told the court.

About a week later, she went to a doctor after five days of vomiting, suffering pain and at one point fainting.

Over the next few weeks, Ms Boyce went to hospital and a medical center as her symptoms of vomiting, pain and fainting persisted.

On March 5, she attended Mulgrave Private Hospital after experiencing chest pain and shortness of breath and was transferred to The Alfred where she was diagnosed with fulminant myocarditis.

The 21-year-old’s condition worsened after she underwent surgery to remove a clot, after which she suffered a heart attack during an MRI.

She could not be revived and Mrs Boyce was pronounced dead on March 27.

A forensic pathologist performed an autopsy on Ms Boyce and found she died of acute myocarditis infarction.

The autopsy showed that ‘given the short duration due to the vaccine, a vaccine-related myocarditis cannot be excluded’.

But the report also said this could not be diagnosed post-mortem.

In February this year, Moderna engaged its own cardiologist to provide an expert opinion to the court and requested extended leave to submit a report from them.

Ms Syrjanen said Moderna’s report differed from other medical evidence before the coroner about Ms Boyce’s cause of death and medical treatment leading up to it, but she did not indicate how.

“Moderna submitted in a letter to the court that ‘the conclusion of the autopsy report must be accepted: that no definitive cause for Ms. Boyce’s myocarditis can be identified,’” she told the court.

“I am today seeking clarification from Moderna’s legal representatives regarding Moderna’s current position and whether that has changed.”

Moderna’s lawyer Jesse Rudd said he could not immediately clarify the company’s position.

“That’s the first I’ve heard of it,” he replied, asking for time to seek advice.

All parties were given eight weeks to read Moderna’s report and consider their positions.

The case will be referred to coroner Catherine Fitzgerald for hearing on July 17.

Ms. Boyce’s mother, Deborah Hamilton, shared her grief last May at a Senate committee hearing on a bill to protect unvaccinated workers.

She said Victoria’s strict rules around Covid meant she couldn’t be with her daughter in hospital when she needed her most.

“What was the point of getting vaccinated when I was still prohibited from supporting my child in the hospital?” said Mrs. Hamilton.

“I still have text messages on my phone of her begging me to come to her… this still haunts me and probably will for the rest of my life.”