Germany, France and Spain have joined the list of countries that are temporarily suspending the use of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine due to concerns that it might be associated with a high risk of blood clots. Several European countries—including Denmark, Norway and Iceland—had previously announced that they were pausing the vaccine’s rollout for the same reason.
The World Health Organization (WHO) and European Medicines Agency (EMA) have both repeatedly indicated that this does not appear to be a significant issue, but the two organizations are still studying the situation closely.
For now, the EMA’s assessment is that the benefits of this vaccine outweigh any known risks. On Tuesday, March 16, the WHO said in a statement that it is working with the EMA to provide an updated analysis as soon as possible.
AstraZeneca also issued a statement on this ongoing issue.
“Following a recent concern raised around thrombotic events, AstraZeneca would like to offer its reassurance on the safety of its COVID-19 vaccine based on clear scientific evidence,” according to a statement from AstraZeneca. “Safety is of paramount importance and the company is continually monitoring the safety of its vaccine. A careful review of all available safety data of more than 17 million people vaccinated in the European Union and UK with COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca 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 U.S. government, meanwhile, continues to buy additional doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, even though it has not been approved by the FDA. AstraZeneca is expected to seek FDA approval through an emergency use authorization in the days ahead.
Michael has more than 16 years of experience as a professional writer and editor. He has written at length about cardiology, radiology, artificial intelligence and other key healthcare topics.