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Astra Zeneca has defended its Covid 19 vaccine after reports of side effects. It said it saw no increased risk of blood clots associated with the vaccine. An analysis of all safety data from more than 17 million people vaccinated with the drug in the EU and U.K. found no evidence of an increased risk of pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis or a decrease in platelets, Astrazeneca said in a statement.
Following reports of complications from blood clots after vaccination, the Netherlands, Ireland, Denmark, Norway and Iceland have temporarily suspended use of the vaccine. Italy and Austria stopped the use of certain batches.
The Netherlands spoke Sunday of a “precautionary measure.” “We cannot allow any doubts about the vaccine,” Health Minister Hugo de Jonge said. There have been no incidents in the Netherlands, he said, and there is no evidence of a link between the vaccination and reports of possible serious side effects from Denmark and Norway. “We need to make sure everything is okay, so it is advisable to pause for the time being.”
In Austria, a 49-year-old nurse at the Zwettl Regional Hospital had died as a result of severe clotting disorders, and a 35-year-old colleague developed a pulmonary embolism but was most recently on the road to recovery. In these two cases in Lower Austria, the affected women had previously received vaccines from the same batch of Astra Zeneca vaccine.
Meanwhile, in Italy, experts warned against hasty conclusions about the safety of the product following the temporary halt to vaccinations with Astra Zeneca’s Corona vaccine in parts of the country. The vaccines are safe, said the president of the Italian drug agency Aifa, Giorgio Palù, in an interview with the newspaper “La Repubblica” (Monday edition). With more vaccinations, more adverse side effects would also be registered.
A spokesman for the German Health Ministry, meanwhile, said Germany would continue to use the Astra Zeneca vaccine. The reports are taken seriously and the data situation is constantly reviewed. At present, however, the German government is sticking to its policy of continuing to use the vaccine.
The United Kingdom also continues to use Astrazeneca’s Corona vaccine. “We are looking closely at the reports, but given the large number of doses administered and the frequency with which blood clots can occur naturally, the available evidence does not suggest that the vaccine is the cause,” Phil Bryan of the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said, according to a news release.
15 and 22 cases, respectively
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) had said last week there was no evidence that the cases of blood clots were caused by the Astrazeneca vaccine – an assessment echoed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and Germany’s Paul Ehrlich Institute.
Astra Zeneca said 15 cases of deep vein thrombosis and 22 cases of pulmonary embolism have been reported so far, which compares favorably with the number of cases reported in the past.
- surces. kurier.at/picture:swr.de
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