AstraZeneca said there was no evidence that its coronavirus vaccine causes an increased risk of blood clots

Anglo-Swedish pharmacist AstraZeneca said on Sunday that “There is no evidence” that your coronavirus vaccine carries an increased risk of blood clots despite the decision of several European Union (EU) countries to suspend its use as a precautionary measure.

The company said it had carried out “a thorough review” of the data available on those who received the vaccine in the UK and the EU.

“Some 17 million people in the EU and UK have already received our vaccine and the number of reported clots in this group is lower than the average one would expect in the general population,” he said. -he explains. chief doctor, Ann Taylor.

“The nature of the pandemic has increased attention to individual cases. We go beyond the usual safety practices of monitoring authorized drugs on vaccine incident cases to ensure public safety, ”he added.

Irish health authorities recommended the temporary suspension from this Sunday of the application of AstraZeneca’s covid-19 vaccine in this country as a “precautionary” measure, after having detected new cases of blood clots in people who have received this preparation.

The recommendation issued by the National Immunization Advisory Commission (NIAC) in Ireland is based on new data “provided by the Norwegian Medicines Agency on Saturday afternoon and following discussions with the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA)”.

In a statement, Ireland’s Deputy Chief Medical Officer Ronan Glynn explained that NIAC had received additional information from a “Norwegian Medicines Agency report (report) four new incidents of serious blood clots in adults after having been inoculated with the AstraZeneca covid-19 vaccine ”.

Glynn, however, clarified that “it has not been concluded that there is a link between the AstraZeneca covid-19 vaccine and these cases.”

Norway stopped the distribution of the AstraZeneca vaccine last Thursday, after Denmark took similar action. Iceland then he reproduced the decision.

Italy has also decided to suspend the use of a batch of AstraZeneca as a precautionary measure, while four other European countries – Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia and Luxembourg – have suspended vaccines by a batch of one million vaccines, delivered to 17 countries, including Italy.

Before Denmark and Norway stop distributing the AstraZeneca vaccine, Austria stopped using batch of injections while investigating death from bleeding disorders and pulmonary embolism.

Despite these countries’ decision, last week the European Medicines Agency (EMA) recommended “Continue to administer” the AstraZeneca covid-19 vaccine in the European Union, given that “The benefits of the vaccine continue to outweigh its risks.”

The EMA Safety Committee (PRAC), which met last Thursday to review all cases of thromboembolic events and other blood clot-related conditions, concluded that, for now, “There is no indication that the vaccination caused these conditions, which are not listed as side effects of this vaccine.”

“The number of thromboembolic events in vaccinated persons is not greater than the number observed in the general population”, said the EMA.

For its part, the pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca on Saturday announced a further delay in shipments of its vaccines to the European Union, a further blow to efforts to accelerate vaccination. The company cited production problems and export restrictions to justify its delays.

AstraZeneca explained on Saturday that it had decided to use its production centers outside the EU to supply the block, but “unfortunately the export restrictions will reduce deliveries in the first quarter” and “probably” in the second , according to a spokesperson for the group.

The laboratory began distributing its vaccines to the EU in February and its goal was to deliver 100 million doses in the first half of 2021.

The European Commission wants 70% of Europeans to be vaccinated before the end of the summer.

With information from Europa Press and EFE

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