With input from Dr Monica Vasudev

1470:    The Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee (PRAC) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) is looking into the cases of thromboembolic events tied to AstraZenecas COVID-19 vaccine. However, it still maintains that the benefits outweigh risks. 

As of March 10, 30 cases of thromboembolic events were reported among about 5 million individuals administered the AstraZeneca vaccine in the European Economic Area, including European Union (EU) countries and Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway.

The EMA said in a statement that the number of thromboembolic events in vaccinated individuals was not higher than the number observed in the general population.

The Danish Health Authority halted the vaccination campaign with AstraZeneca vaccine, while some other European countries have also imposed a temporary halt on the use of the vaccine on the basis of reports of blood clots.

Thailands Prime Minister canceled the plan to publicly receive the AstraZeneca vaccine.

The Austrian national competent authority discontinued the use of AstraZeneca COVID-19 batch number ABV5300 after a person developed multiple blood clots and died 10 days following vaccination, while another individual was hospitalized with pulmonary embolism after being vaccinated.

As of March 9, EMA had received two other reports of thromboembolic events associated with the stated batch. 

Batch ABV5300 has one million doses and was delivered to 17 EU countries, including Austria, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, France, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, and Sweden.

As of March 9, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Luxembourg have discontinued the use of this batch.

(Medscape; CNN)

1471: Ireland deferred the use of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine on Sunday, citing reports of blood clotting among people who had received it in Norway. The decision came after a new advisory from Norway stating that four individuals who had received the AstraZeneca vaccine had experienced blood clotting issues and had low platelet counts. Public health agencies, including the World Health Organization, noted that millions have received the AstraZeneca vaccine without any blood clotting problems, and a causative association has not been found between any of the vaccines and the conditions. (NY Times)

CMAAO Sutra: In susceptible high-risk (pro-inflammatory and/or pro-coagulative) individuals, reactogenic vaccines can trigger transient thrombo-inflammation lasting first few (up to four) days. Prevent them with aspirin premedication.

Dr KK Aggarwal

President CMAAO, HCFI and Past National President IMA