Coronavirus: AstraZeneca vaccine trial in children paused in Britain as blood clot link probed
- Oxford University, which helped develop the shot, says it is waiting for additional data from Britain’s regulatory body for medicines
- EU drug watchdog’s head of vaccine strategy says there is a “clear” connection between the jabs and the rare condition; agency says review is ongoing
A British trial of the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine on children has been paused, Oxford University said Tuesday, as global regulators rush to assess its possible link to rare blood clots in adults.
The university, which helped develop the embattled vaccine, said in a statement that there were “no safety concerns” in the trial, but acknowledged fears over a potential link to clots by saying that it was awaiting additional data from Britain’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) before restarting the study.
“Parents and children should continue to attend all scheduled visits and can contact the trial sites if they have any questions,” it added.
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It is the latest drama to hit AstraZeneca, which has been embroiled in controversy over its failure to deliver promised doses to the European Union, and over the jab’s efficacy and safety profile.
The MHRA is one of many bodies across the globe analysing real world data from the AstraZeneca roll-out to see if there is a definitive link between the jab and a rare form of blood clot, after cases were initially reported in Norway and continental Europe.
The MHRA reported over the weekend that there had been 30 blood clotting cases, seven fatal, out of the 18 million doses administered in Britain.
The European Medicines Agency said Tuesday it “has not yet reached a conclusion and the review is currently ongoing”.