The European Union’s drug regulator says it has found a “possible link” between the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine and a rare clotting disorder but says the benefits of the shot still outweigh risks.
The European Medicines Agency placed no new restrictions on using the vaccine in people 18 and over.
The EMA says most cases reported have occurred in women under 60 within two weeks of vaccination.
Emer Cooke, EMA's Exec. Director: "EMA’s expert committee on the safety of medicines (#PRAC) has confirmed that the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine in preventing #COVID19 overall outweigh the risks of side effects.”
— EU Medicines Agency (@EMA_News) April 7, 2021
The agency says based on the currently available evidence, it was not able to identify specific risk factors.
Experts reviewed several dozen cases that came mainly from Europe and the United Kingdom, where around 25 million people have received the AstraZeneca vaccine.
The World Health Organization says the protection the vaccine provides outweighs the small risk.
Soon after the blood clot link was announced, the U.K.'s Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency said people under 30 in that country would be offered another product.
We are starting the press briefing on EMA’s safety committee (#PRAC) conclusion on review of #COVID19vaccine AstraZeneca and cases of blood clots: https://t.co/BpYBxkk9E6
— EU Medicines Agency (@EMA_News) April 7, 2021
