UK medicines regulator MRHA has today given an update on its investigation into whether the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine is directly causing rare brain blood clots. The live briefing wass being hosted by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation. The investigations have found
Regulators in both the UK and Europe have today given updates on their investigations into whether the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine is linked to rare brain blood clots.
Some European countries have restricted vaccine use in younger people following reports of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST).
CVST are a specific type of clot which prevents blood from draining from the brain, as well as low platelet counts – cells that help blood clot.
On Tuesday, it was announced that the trial of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine in children has been paused while UK regulator MHRA investigates the CVST reports.
Read More: EMA announcement: European Medicines Agency to give safety update
Dr June Raine, head of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, told a press conference: “Based on the current evidence, the benefits of the Covid-19 vaccine AstraZeneca against Covid-19 and its associated risks – hospitalisation and death – continues to outweigh the risks for the vast majority of people.
“Our review has reinforced that the risk of this rare suspected side effect remains extremely small.”
The MHRA has concluded the balance of risk for the vaccine is “very favourable for older people” but more finely balanced for younger groups.
So the JCVI has recommended those under the age of 30 without underlying health conditions should receive an alternative vaccine to the AstraZeneca vaccine.
Charts shown during the conference outlined the level of risk for each age group, explained by Professor Van Tam.
The charts laid out the potential harms due to the vaccine per age group, compared to the potential benefits based on level of exposure risk.
The first chart showed per 100,000 people with low exposure risk.
For those aged 20 to 29, the risk stood at 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.8 per 100,000 for 30 to 39-year-olds, 0.5 for 40 to 49-year-olds, 0.4 over 100,000 for 50 to 59-year-olds and 0.2 for those aged 60 to 69.
This was shown against the benefits of ICU admissions prevented every 16 weeks per age group.
For 20 to 29 year olds, the AstraZeneca vaccine 0.8 per 100,000 people were prevented from ICU admissions, compared to 14.1 per 100,000 for 60 to 69-year-olds.
The second chart showed per 100,000 people with medium exposure risk.
For those aged 20 to 29, the risk stood at 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.8 per 100,000 for 30 to 39-year-olds, 0.5 for 40 to 49-year-olds, 0.4 over 100,000 for 50 to 59-year-olds and 0.2 for those aged 60 to 69.
Again was shown against the benefits of ICU admissions prevented every 16 weeks per age group.
For 20 to 29-year-olds with medium exposure risk, the AstraZeneca vaccine prevented 2.2 per 100,000 people from ICU admissions, compared to 41.3 per 100,000 for 60 to 69-year-olds.
The final chart showed per 100,000 people with high exposure risk.
For those aged 20 to 29, the risk stood at 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.8 per 100,000 for 30 to 39-year-olds, 0.5 for 40 to 49-year-olds, 0.4 over 100,000 for 50 to 59-year-olds and 0.2 for those aged 60 to 69.
Again was shown against the benefits of ICU admissions prevented every 16 weeks per age group.
For 20 to 29, the risk stood at 69 per 100,000 people, compared to 24.9 per 100,000 for 30 to 39-year-olds, 51.5 for 40 to 49-year-olds, 95.6 over 100,000 for 50 to 59-year-olds and 127.7 for those aged 60 to 69.
Professor Van-Tam acknowledged the change in recommended use of the AstraZeneca vaccine might result in delays and longer journeys to receive the jab.
He told a press conference: “The NHS has a message that we will get the right vaccine to you in the right time according to the new JCVI advice.
“There might be a small delay sometimes, there might be a slightly greater distance that some people might be asked to travel.
“But the NHS is all over this and understands the challenge of making the advice from JCVI truly operational in a smooth way.”
