[GTranslate]TORONTO – The situation surrounding AstraZeneca is becoming increasingly chaotic. While in Europe a long list of countries has ordered a precautionary stop in the administration of the vaccine pending the final decision of the European Drug Agency, EMA, scheduled for tomorrow, in Canada not only goes ahead with vaccinations but even expands the range of people who will be able to receive the two doses. Until yesterday, in fact, Health Canada had given the green light to the administration of AstraZeneca for citizens between the ages of 60 and 64, in the wake of what had been done in many European countries, where inoculation of the vaccine had been banned for the over-65s. But in the morning came the turning point. The National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) has changed its guidelines again, stating that AstraZeneca “is safe and effective too” for older people: so skip the 64-year-old limit, the vaccine can also be administered to those 65 and older.
Caroline Quach, president of NACI, pointed out yesterday that the analysis of two different studies on the AstraZeneca vaccination campaign carried out in England confirms that the vaccine is extremely effective and safe even for the elderly, especially in preventing serious complications caused by Covid-19 and hospitalizations.
Meanwhile, there is growing expectations in Europe for the EMA’s decisions. Yesterday, Sweden also stopped the administration of the vaccine, following in the footsteps of what has already been decided in Italy, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Ireland, Spain, Latvia, Austria, Denmark, Norway, Lithuania and Estonia. This is significant, given that the AstraZeneca vaccine is the result of an Anglo-Swedish consortium.
Pending the decision of the European Drug Board, the Executive Director of the EMA, Emer Cooke, yesterday wanted to send out signs of reassurance, making it clear that the outcome will be positive, that is, that the suspension of immunization with the Oxford compound will not be recommended and that governments will be able to resume vaccination campaigns. “Rare serious episodes are inevitable when vaccinating millions of people,” he explained, pointing out that at present “there is no indication that the AstraZeneca vaccine has caused problems.”
“The incidence of thromboembolic events in subjects who received the AstraZeneca vaccine no higher than the unvaccinated population,” Cooke said, reiterating that “the benefits of the vaccine outweigh the risks.” “Currently, there is no indication that vaccination” with Astrazeneca’s anti-Covid serum “caused these conditions”, thromboembolic events, sometimes fatal.
“They did not emerge in clinical trials – Cooke continues – and are not understood as known or expected side effects with these vaccines. In clinical trials, both vaccinated and placebo-receiving people recorded exceedingly small numbers of developments related to blood clotting.”
In the meantime, a new possible covid vaccine has entered phase 3 of experimentation, developed by Medicago, a Canadian biopharmaceutical company, and GlaxoSmithKline.
The trial, which received approval from the Canadian and US regulatory authorities, will involve 30,000 subjects initially composed of healthy adults (between 18 and 65 years old) followed by elderly adults (aged 65 and over) and adults with comparability. The tests will take place in 10 countries.
