MEB advises to put AstraZeneca vaccination temporarily on hold
The Medicines Evaluation Board (MEB) has advised Minister De Jonge of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS) to consider to put the vaccination campaign with the AstraZeneca vaccine in the Netherlands on hold as a precautionary measure. This advice follows new European safety information. It has become clear that there are new cases of serious blood clots and a reduced number of platelets in vaccinated adults.
There are now six reports from Denmark and Norway of serious, rare events of thrombosis combined with a decreased number of blood platelets (thrombocytopenia) in adults under 50 years of age after being vaccinated with the AstraZeneca vaccine. No causal relationship has yet been demonstrated between the vaccine and these adverse events. The advice to put the campaign on hold is a precautionary measure until there is more clarity.
New, rare but serious reports
MEB chair Prof. Ton de Boer:
Based on this new information, we have advised the Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport together with our safety experts to consider pausing vaccination with the AstraZeneca vaccine. So far, there is no causal relationship demonstrated between the vaccine and these reports. The advice to put the campaign on hold is a precautionary measure until we have more clarity. We emphasise that these are new adverse events, of severe blood clotting in combination with a reduced number of platelets.
Advice
The MEB advises people to contact a doctor immediately if, after a shot with the AstraZeneca corona vaccine, someone develops symptoms again after three days, including unexpected and / or unknown symptoms, and / or larger or smaller blue spots (spot bleeding) in the skin.
De Boer: “We keep a close eye on the situation in the Netherlands and other countries. The EMA Pharmacovigilance Committee PRAC is currently investigating all post-vaccination reports of thrombosis and other coagulation-related disorders with the AstraZeneca vaccine.”
