The UK drug regulator said it had identified 30 cases of thrombi and unusual coagulation problems associated with the coronavirus vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford, but reiterated that the benefits “still outweigh the risks”.
The Regulatory Agency for Medicines and Health Products pointed out that the risk associated with this type of blood clot is “very small” and that the population should continue to receive the vaccine if given the opportunity.
The cases relate to the period up to March 24, in which 18.1 million doses of the vaccine were administered, the regulator explained Friday evening. It has not received similar reports regarding the one developed by Pfizer-BioNTech, he added.
Concerns about the side effects of the drug AstraZeneca prompted several countries, including Canada, France, Germany, and the Netherlands, to limit its use among the elderly.
The World Health Organization has asked countries to keep using the vaccine.