ZCZC
BFF-54
HEALTH-VIRUS-EU-VACCINES-MEETING
EMA to meet Thursday on AstraZeneca vaccine
THE HAGUE, March 15, 2021 (BSS/AFP) – The European Medicines Agency said it
would hold a special meeting on Thursday to decide on “further actions” over
the AstraZeneca vaccine, adding that the benefits of using the jab still
outweighed the risks.
The Amsterdam-based EMA said in a statement that its safety committee would
“further review the information” on the jab Tuesday after several more
countries including France and Germany suspended its use over blood clot
fears.
The regulator added that it “has called an extraordinary meeting on
Thursday 18 March to conclude on the information gathered and any further
actions that may need to be taken.”
But the watchdog said it still believed the British-Swedish vaccine was
still safe to use.
“EMA currently remains of the view that the benefits of the AstraZeneca
vaccine in preventing Covid-19, with its associated risk of hospitalisation
and death, outweigh the risks of side effects,” the statement said.
French President Emmanuel Macron had said earlier on Monday that France was
suspending use of the AstraZeneca vaccine pending what he called a review of
its safety by the EMA that was expected on Tuesday.
BSS/AFP/FI/ 2328 hrs