AstraZeneca Addresses Concerns Regarding Vaccine Safety
In response to recent concerns about potential rare side effects associated with the AstraZeneca-Oxford COVID-19 vaccine, the pharmaceutical giant has reaffirmed its commitment to patient safety while emphasizing the vaccine's overall safety profile.
AstraZeneca acknowledges the seriousness of these concerns and extends its sympathy to those who have lost loved ones or experienced health issues. The company maintains that patient safety remains its top priority, and regulatory authorities have established stringent standards to ensure the safe use of all medicines, including vaccines.
The company acknowledges that its COVID-19 vaccines, Covishield and Vaxzevria, can, in very rare cases, cause Thrombosis Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (TTS). However, extensive clinical trial data and real-world evidence consistently support the vaccine's safety and efficacy. Regulatory agencies worldwide continue to assert that the benefits of vaccination outweigh the risks of such extremely rare side effects.
The Serum Institute of India produced the COVID-19 vaccine named Covishield using a viral vector platform, which utilizes a modified chimpanzee adenovirus to carry the COVID-19 spike protein into human cells. This technology has also been used to develop vaccines for other viruses, such as Ebola.
In 2023, the World Health Organization (WHO) identified TTS as a new adverse event following immunization with COVID-19 non-replicant adenovirus vector-based vaccines, including the AstraZeneca COVID-19 ChAdOx-1 vaccine and the Johnson & Johnson (J & J) Janssen COVID-19 Ad26.COV2-S vaccines. WHO issued interim emergency guidance to increase awareness and assist healthcare providers in managing potential TTS cases.
However, in March 2024, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya stated that the ICMR conducted a detailed study demonstrating that the COVID-19 vaccine is not responsible for heart attacks. He attributed such occurrences to individual lifestyle factors and underlying health conditions.