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AstraZeneca’s vaccine has Blood Clot concerns

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They all have Germany, France, Italy and Spain stop vaccinations With AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, after reporting rare blood clots in people who have been shot.

These moves by the four largest countries in the European Union have interruptions in several smaller countries and mark a new crisis of confidence. an affordable vaccine that is the best hope for the COVID-19 vaccine to accelerate in the developing world.

Experts have stressed that there is still no evidence that these clots are reported by the vaccine, and that the cases are being investigated by regulators. But the final concerns continue earlier questions from scientists how the company communicated the problems safety and efficiency of his vaccine. In addition, AstraZeneca will arrive to publish the results of a large-scale clinical trial that will determine whether the FDA allows vaccination in the U.S.

The vaccination steps in Europe reported three hospitalizations, including one dead patient, among the people who were vaccinated. Norway, and another death in Denmark. In one statement On March 11, the European Medicines Agency – the EU’s FDA-equivalent regulator – said a total of 30 “thromboembolic” or blood clot events had occurred among the 5 million people who had been shot by AstraZeneca. EBn.

“At the moment there is no vaccine that has caused these conditions that do not appear as a side effect with this vaccine,” the EMA said. “The position of the EMA safety committee … the benefits of the vaccine continue to outweigh its risks and the vaccine can continue to be administered.”

AstraZeneca said they have reported a total of 37 pulmonary embolisms and deep vein thrombosis, two cases caused by blood clotting, which is less than what could be expected from the general population rate.

“About 17 million people in the EU and the UK have received our vaccine today, and the number of blood clots reported in this group is less than the expected number of cases,” said Ann Taylor, the company’s chief physician. a statement issued March 14th.

And it’s the World Health Organization asking countries to continue using the vaccine, repeating that there is no evidence that it causes blood clots. WHO experts are holding a meeting to review blood clot reports on Tuesday.

However, some incidents are pausing in some countries. According to German Health Minister Jens Spahn, there have been seven cases of the rare condition, actual cerebral sinus thrombosis (CVST), of the 1.6 million people vaccinated with AstraZeneca in Germany. The Paul Ehrlich Institute, a member of the German Ministry of Health, said on Monday worried The condition was reported along with unusual bleeding and a small number of platelets, which cause clots and prevent bleeding.

The few cases seen so far in Germany would be more than expected, but the situation could be statistical. “[T]the probability of achieving this statistical result for a result is very high, even if there is no cause and effect, ”said Paul Hunter, a public health specialist at the University of East Anglia, in a comment distributed through the UK Science Media Center.

The EMA is holding a meeting to discuss concerns about blood clotting on Tuesday and its findings are expected to be published on Thursday. Prolonged vaccination discontinuation would be a worrying solution, as COVID-19 cases are growing again in several EU nations – living in Italy especially a serious concern – as more contagious variants spread.

Experts contacted BuzzFeed News said that without knowing more about the patients ’cases, there was not enough evidence to know whether the vaccine caused coagulation. “We wanted to know the age of the cases, their previous medical history, and conditions that could put them at risk for clot or bleeding,” said Orly Vardeny, of the University of Minnesota, a pharmacist who specializes in heart health.

“It may or may not be related to the vaccine. If it’s related to the vaccine, and it’s not seen everywhere, the explanation is likely to be a problem in the production line, ”John Moore, a virologist at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York, who works on vaccine development, told BuzzFeed News. including Austria, they exactly when the vaccine was stopped From several batches of the AstraZeneca vaccine.)

The new concerns are the latest in AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine stumbling block, which was developed at Oxford University. In November, AstraZeneca claimed it Press release that his vaccine was 70% effective overall, and that it could be up to 90% effective if given in the first half dose in two shots. But a lot of scientists they were skeptical, especially after the drug company admitted that this regime was the result of a calculation of incorrect dosage. Later AstraZeneca added confusion changing his explanation for the claimed 90% efficacy from dosing to dosing between doses.

The blow was most severe in February, when trials in South Africa showed the vaccine it was not effective against the more contagious variant of the coronavirus circulating there. South Africa suspended plans to use the AstraZeneca vaccine and switched to vaccines by Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer / BioNTech.

Now scientists are waiting for the results of a great judgment The AstraZeneca vaccine company in the US and other countries will be the basis for the company’s application for permission to use the vaccine by the FDA. Some experts are wondering if adding AstraZeneca to the vaccine arsenal used in the U.S. will create more problems. anti-vaxkers who will take advantage of negative publicity to weaken the wider pathway to the surrounding vaccine.

“Does he really have a niche to fill? Would that be enough confidence? Or will it just be another headache? said Moore.

Children’s Health Defense, an organization that has peddled misinformation and conspiracy theories years about vaccines, already highlight Several European countries are reporting the use of the vaccine.

Where vaccines can make a big difference is in the developing world, especially in Africa, where vaccines are spreading it lags far behind. The Biden administration has already come under pressure to deliver doses of the already manufactured AstraZeneca vaccine to poorer countries, The New York Times reported on March 11th. Meanwhile, COVAX – WHO, the Coalition for Innovation in Epidemic Preparedness and Gavi, a partnership with the Vaccine Alliance – to provide cheaper vaccines to poorer countries – Based on the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine to deliver hundreds of millions of doses in the developing world.

“Safety is our main concern: We know that the national authorities and the WHO are closely monitoring the situation and that the COVAX Facility will follow the guidelines and recommendations,” a Gavi spokesman said in response to questions from BuzzFeed News. “There is currently no causal link between the vaccine and thromboembolic events, and the vaccine remains an important and effective public health tool in the fight against this pandemic.”



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