Covid-19: Why some countries are suspending AstraZeneca's vaccine

AFP

At least four European countries decided on Thursday to suspend the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine against Covid-19. Blood clots have been observed in patients. The European Medicines Agency maintains its authorization of the vaccine. France has made the same choice.

Should we continue to vaccinate against Covid-19 with AstraZeneca laboratory doses? This vaccine is the most widely used in France since it is administered by general practitioners and will be available in pharmacies from Monday 15 March.

Four European countries decided on Thursday to suspend the use of this vaccine against Covid-19 according to the precautionary principle. France, on the other hand, has chosen to maintain its vaccination campaign with AstraZeneca doses.

Which countries have suspended the AstraZeneca vaccine?

Denmark, Norway and Iceland announced on Thursday the suspension of the AstraZeneca vaccine as a precautionary measure and until further notice, due to fears of blood clots in vaccinated persons.

On Monday, Austria had suspended a batch of the vaccine following the death of a 49-year-old nurse who succumbed to "serious clotting disorders" a few days after receiving it.

This suspicious batch was immediately suspended by Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia and Luxembourg. Italy took the same decision on Thursday. This batch of one million doses was distributed in seventeen countries.

Is there a risk of blood clots?

The link between the vaccine and blood clots is not officially proven. The countries that suspended the vaccine did so in the name of the precautionary principle.

"We have to be very careful. At present, there is no clear and established relationship between the phenomenon of thrombosis and the taking of the vaccine", explains to La Dépêche Pr Jean-Louis Montastruc, pharmacologist and member of the National Academy of Medicine.

"This type of pathology occurs every day in the absence of taking the vaccine. This does not call into question the interest of the AstraZeneca vaccine", adds Prof. Jean-Louis Montastruc.

What is AstraZeneca's response?

The AstraZeneca laboratory, which developed the vaccine with Oxford University, defends the safety of its vaccine. "The safety of the vaccine has been extensively studied in Phase III clinical trials, and the data [...] confirm that the vaccine has been generally well tolerated," says an AstraZeneca spokesperson.

Will the AstraZeneca vaccine remain licensed?

There is no evidence to date of a risk of increased blood clotting in vaccinated individuals, the European Medicines Agency says. "The information available to date indicates that the number of thromboembolisms in vaccinated persons is not higher than that observed in the general population," the European Medicines Agency said.

22 thromboembolisms out of 3 million vaccinated people have been reported to the European Medicines Agency.

The Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee is responsible for examining cases of high blood clotting.

What have the health authorities in France decided?

The AstraZeneca vaccine remains authorized in France. "There is no reason to suspend vaccination by AstraZeneca," announced Health Minister Olivier Véran during his weekly press briefing this Thursday evening. "The benefit provided by the vaccination is considered greater than the risk at this stage," explained the Minister of Health. Olivier Véran has nevertheless referred the matter to the National Agency for Drug Safety.

Source; AFP