Yesterday, when the storm around the AstraZeneca vaccine seemed to subside, the pharmaceutical company reaffirmed itself by publishing the results of a trial carried out in the US, Chile and Peru. Results showing 100% efficiency against hospitalization and serious illness, 79% against mild symptoms and 80% effective in people over 65 years of age. What’s more, no suspected cases of thrombi had been recorded like those that had caused the chain stoppage in Europe.
However, shortly after, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases published a press release in which it was “concerned about the information published by AstraZeneca.” As they explained, the drugmaker “could have included outdated information” giving “an incomplete view of the efficacy” of the vaccine. Therefore “he urged the company to work” with them “to review the efficacy data and ensure the highest precision” as “as quickly as possible.
Doubts only affect the efficacy of the vaccine
It is important to bear in mind that all doubts refer to the efficacy of the vaccine and not its safety. As far as we know, the security data (which, remember, was at the center of the European controversy last week) has not raised doubts on the part of the North American committees. What are the consequences of all this? In principle, if the company remedies (or clarifies) the problems that have arisen, there shouldn’t be many and the injectable could be in use in the US soon.
However, it is one more problem that adds to the cascade of misunderstandings, alarms and conflicts that have surrounded the AstraZeneca vaccine. A political and media vaudeville that has exploded. In fact, they are already the majority in France (61%), Germany (55%) and Spain (52%), while in Italy, Denmark and Sweden they are on the way.
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