European Medicines Agency “AZ vaccine safe and effective”
The European Medicines Agency’s EMA says the AstraZeneca vaccine is “a safe and effective vaccine”, saying it is not associated with an increased overall risk of blood clots.
EMA held an extraordinary meeting of the Safety Committee on the afternoon of the 18th local time, reviewed the information collected so far, and concluded.
EMA Commissioner Emma Cook told a press conference: “The committee has come to a clear scientific conclusion,” he said. “This is a safe and effective vaccine.”
“The committee concluded that this vaccine was not associated with an increased overall risk of blood clots.”
“Can’t clearly rule out the relationship between certain blood clots and vaccines”
Commissioner Cook said, however, that the association of AstraZeneca vaccines with certain very rare types of blood clots “cannot be clearly ruled out” and recommends adding explanations related to these cases to the vaccine information so that patients and healthcare workers can know I did.
In this regard, the EMA noted that the AstraZeneca vaccine may have been associated with very rare cases of thrombocytopenia-related blood clots, citing cerebral venous thrombosis and disseminated intravascular coagulation.
The EMA added that the causal relationship to the vaccine has not been proven, but that it is possible, even if it is extremely small, and that further analysis is needed.
Commissioner Cook explained that of the 20 million AstraZeneca vaccines in the UK and the European Union, there were 25 such rare cases, nine of whom died.
Most of these cases were women under the age of 55.
In a pre- and post-approval study of the vaccine, EMA found that 469 cases of blood clots were reported among those who received the vaccine in these areas during the vaccination process, which was lower than expected in the general population.
EMA added that there is no evidence of problems with the specific manufacturing unit or specific manufacturing location of this vaccine.
“We have safe and effective vaccines” when asked whether countries should resume AstraZeneca vaccination. “We need to use these vaccines.” “I will get the vaccine tomorrow.” Said.
Resumption of European AZ Vaccination… Some keep on hold
When EMA once again confirmed that the AstraZeneca vaccine was “safe and effective”, major European countries, such as Germany and France, which had stopped vaccinating, have decided to re-vaccine.
German Health Minister Jens Sfan said, “As a result of consultations with the federal government and 16 states and agencies in charge of vaccine approval, we have decided to resume vaccination from tomorrow.”
France also announced a policy to resume vaccination, and plans to get the vaccine directly on the first day of the resumption of the vaccination in order to alleviate distrust of the vaccination by Prime Minister Jean Castex.
Italy also welcomed the EMA’s announcement of the AstraZeneca vaccine, saying it will resume vaccination as early as tomorrow.
The governments of Spain, the Netherlands, Lithuania, Latvia and Slovenia have also decided to use the AstraZeneca vaccine again sooner or later.
However, Norway and Sweden have said they are withholding vaccination despite the EMA announcement.
The Norwegian Institute for Public Health is paying attention to the results of the EMA’s review, but says it is too early to reach a final conclusion regarding vaccination.
He added that he would release its own instructions around the next weekend.
Sweden also decided to withhold the vaccination for the time being, saying, “We hope to review the EMA investigation and determine the best way to use this vaccine next week.”