- Australia will continue rolling out AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine, despite a key health official stating the jab was linked to blood clot risks
- The European Medicines Agency’s (EMA) Head of Vaccines has stated there is a link, but his comments have yet to be backed by the agency
- Instead, the EMA is awaiting until an investigation into the jab is complete before confirming if clots are a side effect to the vaccine
- To date, Europe’s medicines watchdog has recommended countries continue using AstraZeneca’s immunisation, as the benefits outweigh the risk
- The Australian Government has also confirmed it will continue rolling out the jab, as it has been given the greenlight by our own medical watchdog
Australia will continue rolling out AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine, despite a key E.U. health official stating the jab was linked to increased blood clot risks.
The European Medicines Agency’s (EMA) Head of Vaccines Marco Cavaleri has told an Italian newspaper there is a clear link between the jab and blood clots.
“In my opinion, we can say it now, it is clear there is a link with the vaccine,” he told the publication.
“In the next few hours, [the EMA] will say that there is a connection, but we still have to understand how this happens,” he added.
However, his comments have yet to be backed by the EMA, who is instead awaiting the results from a review into the vaccine.
An investigation was launched last month after several E.U. nations reported cases of patients who had fatal blood clots after being vaccinated.
The results of this review are expected to be released later this week, but previously the E.U. medicines watchdog recommended countries continue using AstraZeneca’s vaccine as the benefits outweigh the risk.
In a statement about the blood clotting issue, the EMA said a “causal link with the vaccine is not proven but is possible, and further analysis is continuing.”
In Australia, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg confirmed on Wednesday morning that the country would continue to use the AstraZeneca vaccine.
Around 50 million doses of the jab are expected to be administered across Australia, alongside 10 million Pfizer vaccines.
“All the advice to the government is that the rollout should continue,” Josh Frydenberg told Nine.
The Treasurer added that the jab has been thoroughly tested by Australia’s own medicines watchdog — the Therapeutic Goods Administration.
He added that the TGA would review any additional data provided on the jab’s blood clot risks, but so far it was considered safe and effective.
“Obviously our health authorities continue to monitor international and domestic developments very closely,” the Treasurer said.