[News] European regulator affirms that the AstraZenenca vaccine is safe and endorses its use against COVID-19

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Experts from the agency concluded that the drug is not associated with the growth of cases of thromboembolism.

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) assured this Thursday that the AstraZeneca vaccine has no direct relationship with the cases of thromboembolism detected after vaccination with this drug in different European countries, and considered it safe to continue using it in immunization campaigns against COVID-19.

The executive director of the EMA, Emer Cooke, considered that the experts reached a "clear scientific conclusion" that this vaccine is "benefiting and protecting" citizens against COVID-19 and "is not associated with the growth of cases ”Of thromboembolism, although a warning will be included in the product information to alert clinicians.

Seven European states, including Germany, France or Spain, expanded the list of fifteen countries at the beginning of the week that have suspended the administration of this vaccine due to fear of reactions such as clot formation.

The EMA, which had given the green light to the vaccine developed by the AstraZeneca laboratory and the University of Oxford on January 29, agrees with the World Health Organization (WHO), which on Wednesday recommended continuing to use the vaccine.

This Thursday, the British Medicines and Health Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) also stated that it did not find any direct relationship between the AstraZeneca / Oxford and Pfizer / BioNTech vaccines and the formation of thrombi.

The day before, the WHO also estimated that "for the moment, the balance of risks / benefits is in favor of the AstraZeneca vaccine", and recommended that "vaccination continue".