Coroner assesses death of a Florida doctor 2 weeks after vaccination

ORLANDO, Fla. – The Miami medical examiner’s office is investigating the death of a doctor who died about two weeks after receiving Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine, officials said Friday.

In a statement, Pfizer said it was aware of the death but did not think there was a direct link to the vaccine.

The death of Dr. Gregory Michael is under investigation along with the Florida Department of Health and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Samples from an autopsy conducted Wednesday have been sent to the CDC, said Darren Caprara, operations director of the Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner Department.

“The cause of death is pending completion of investigations” by the medical examiner and the CDC, Caprara said in an email Friday.

Pfizer said the doctor died 16 days after receiving a vaccination. The company said it was a “highly unusual” and serious case of a condition that can prevent blood from clotting and cause internal bleeding.

“To date, millions of people have been vaccinated and we are closely monitoring all adverse events in individuals who receive our vaccine,” the statement said.

Michael, 56, died on Sunday. He was a midwife with private practice at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach. His wife did not respond to a request for an interview on Friday.

The CDC said in a statement that it intended to review the matter “and provide timely updates on what is known and any necessary action.” The CDC and the Food and Drug Administration track potential side effects through a national electronic database, with reports typically coming in from healthcare professionals and vaccine manufacturers.

It is usually not possible to determine if a problem was actually caused by a vaccine simply based on information submitted in the database, the FDA notes on its website. Side effects reported to regulators may be related to existing medical conditions, prescription medications, or other health factors.

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