Denmark suspends use of AstraZeneca vaccine as ‘precautionary measure’
“We’re appearing early, this must be absolutely investigated,” he mentioned in a tweet.
The Danish well being authority additionally confirmed the suspension in an announcement, saying its investigation would come with an investigation right into a demise in Denmark.
“We’re within the midst of the most important and most necessary vaccine deployment in Danish historical past. And proper now, we want all of the vaccines we will get. Due to this fact, placing one of many vaccines on maintain shouldn’t be a straightforward determination. However exactly as a result of we vaccinate so many extra, we should additionally reply with well timed care after we are conscious of attainable severe unwanted side effects. We have to make clear this earlier than we will proceed to make use of the AstraZeneca vaccine, ”mentioned Søren Brostrøm, director of the Nationwide Board of Well being. within the assertion.
“You will need to stress that we didn’t select to not use the AstraZeneca vaccine, however put it on maintain. There’s good proof that the vaccine is each protected and efficient. However we and the Danish Medicines Company should react to experiences of attainable severe unwanted side effects, each from Denmark and different European international locations. This exhibits that the surveillance system is working. “
The Danish Medicines Company mentioned it was working with the European Medicines Company (EMA) and different EU pharmaceutical authorities to research a number of experiences of blood clotting.
Earlier this week, Austria suspended use of a selected batch of the AstraZeneca vaccine – batch ABV5300 – after “an individual was identified with a number of thrombosis,” based on the EMA.
On Tuesday, Estonia, Lithuania, Luxembourg and Latvia had additionally suspended using the ABV5300 batch.
It was not clear whether or not the Danish demise was linked to this lot.
The EMA mentioned on Wednesday that there was “at the moment no indication that the vaccination brought about these situations, which aren’t listed as unwanted side effects with this vaccine.”
“Lot ABV5300 has been delivered to 17 international locations within the EU and consists of 1 million doses of vaccine. Some EU international locations have additionally suspended this lot as a precautionary measure, whereas a full investigation is underway. if a top quality defect is taken into account unlikely at this stage, the standard of the lot is underneath investigation, ”the EMA mentioned in an announcement.
The investigation is the newest subject in Europe for Anglo-Swedish drugmaker AstraZeneca, which has come underneath stress to provide extra vaccines after shedding tens of tens of millions of doses in shipments to the European Union.
The corporate has additionally encountered resistance within the bloc, the place regulators in member international locations have been gradual or reluctant to suggest the vaccine to folks over 65, citing an absence of information.
Regulators in a number of international locations, together with Germany and France, have since modified the suggestions to incorporate these over 65, as precise knowledge has since proven that the AstraZeneca vaccine is extremely efficient in stopping hospitalization in sufferers. aged populations. France limits capturing to folks underneath 74.
Anecdotal experiences, nonetheless, counsel that individuals in some EU international locations nonetheless select to not take the AstraZeneca vaccine.
CNN’s Angela Dewan contributed to this report.