EU confirms link between AstraZeneca vaccine and thrombosis

The European Medicines Agency will soon make an official announcement. The regulator has yet to find out exactly how the use of the drug causes cerebral venous thrombosis

A spokesperson for the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has confirmed the link between AstraZeneca vaccination and thrombosis, RBC reports.

“We can now say that there is obviously a link [the occurrence of thrombosis] with the vaccine. What causes this reaction, we don’t know yet. To sum up, in the next few hours we will say there is a link, but we have yet to understand how it happens”, –  Cavalieri, an EMA spokesman, told Italian newspaper Il Messaggero, an excerpt from which Le Figaro quotes, –  “We aim to get an accurate picture of what is happening, to find out exactly how the vaccine causes this side effect. Among those vaccinated, the number of cases of cerebral thrombosis in young people is higher than we expected. That’s something we have to recognise.”

Europe’s main drug market regulator had already tested AstraZeneca’s vaccine in March because of cases of thrombosis and thromboembolism in those vaccinated. This came after many European countries had suspended use of the drug. The EMA then declared the vaccine safe. As a result, authorities in France, Germany, Spain, Portugal and other countries resumed vaccination following the EMA announcement. However, postponed Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland and Ireland still refrain from using AstraZeneca.

EU confirms link between AstraZeneca vaccine and thrombosis