Over the past week, multiple nations—Ireland being the latest name—had temporarily suspended the use of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, citing increasing cases of "blood clots" in the recipients. News agency AFP had claimed that 22 cases of blood clots, or "thromboembolic events", had been reported in the European Economic Area, citing European Medicines Agency (EMA). Austria had suspended the use of a batch of AstraZeneca vaccines after a 49-year-old nurse died of "severe blood coagulation problems" days after receiving an anti-COVID shot.
Now, pharma major AstraZeneca has responded to the allegations, stating there was no evidence to support the claims. "A careful review of all available safety data of more than 17 million people vaccinated in the European Union and UK has shown no evidence of an increased risk of pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis or thrombocytopenia, in any defined age group, gender, batch or in any particular country," the company stated.
Indecision in Europe
Denmark was the first to temporarily suspend the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine Thursday after reports of blood clots in some people. The Nordic nation's health authority said the decision was based on a precautionary principle and that one person who developed a blood clot after vaccination had died.
Norway decided to follow suit and halted use of the Anglo-Swedish company's vaccine.
Italy's pharmaceutical agency on Thursday ordered a precautionary ban on a particular batch of the vaccine after what it said were serious adverse events.
The European Medicines Agency, which approved the shot for use across the 27-nation EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, said the vaccine's benefits continue to outweigh its risks and the vaccine can continue to be administered while a closer evaluation of the blood clot cases continues.
However, Germany's top health official expressed regret that its neighbouring countries had paused their use of the vaccine, despite the lack of any evidence the shot was responsible for ay side-effect. Health Minister Jens Spahn said that while Germany takes reports of possible side-effects from vaccines very, very seriously, both the European Medicines Agency and Germany's own vaccine oversight body have said they have no evidence of an increase in dangerous blood clots in connection with the shots. "I regret that on the basis of the knowledge of Friday morning some countries in the European Union have suspended vaccinations with AstraZeneca," Spahn told reporters in Berlin.
