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The International Society of Thrombosis and Haemostasis, ISTH, recommends continuous vaccination with the covid-19 vaccine from Astra Zeneca. The organization writes that blood clots are common among the general public and that there is no direct link between the small number of reported thrombotic events and the large number of vaccinations performed. A well-conducted clinical study of vaccines that have been approved also does not show an increased risk of blood clots.
“Based on all available data, ISTH believes that the benefits of the covid-19 vaccine outweigh any complications, even for people who have previously suffered from blood clots and for those taking anticoagulant medications,” the organization writes.
Earlier this week Nine countries in Europe, including Denmark, Norway and Iceland, and Thailand announced that they would discontinue all or part of the Astra Zeneca vaccine after 22 people had a blood clot. According to Søren Brostrøm, director of the Danish National Board of Health, it was not an easy decision to make when Denmark is in such an extensive and important vaccination campaign.
“But precisely because we vaccinate so many, we must react at the right time when there may be potential serious side effects. We need to be clear before we can continue to use the Astra Zeneca vaccine,” he wrote in a comment.
Swedish Medical Products Agency does not consider that the Astra Zeneca vaccine should be discontinued in Sweden and believes that the vaccine can still be considered safe. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) also does not see any increased risk of blood clots from the vaccine.
– We believe that the benefit-risk balance of the Astra Zeneca vaccine remains clearly positive, says Veronica Arthurson, unit manager of the Medical Products Agency.
Nor does the World Health Organization (WHO) believe there is any reason to pause the Astra Zeneca vaccine.
– We must continue to use the Astra Zeneca vaccine. There is no indication that it should not be used, says WHO spokeswoman Margaret Harris.
