FDA recommends suspension of AstraZeneca vaccines on people below 60 years old

MANILA, Philippines — The Food and Drug Administration has recommended temporarily suspending the administration of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines on people below 60 years old as a link between the vaccine and very rare blood clots in the brain (cerebral venous sinus thrombosis or CVST) has been found by a European study.

“We asked the Department of Health na kung mayroon pang natitirang AstraZeneca, siguro ay ‘wag muna natin gamitin sa mga people below 60 years old until we get clearer evidence saka clearer guidance from World Health Organization at saka sa ating mga expert,” FDA Director General Eric Domingo said in a Laging Handa public briefing on Thursday.

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has found that blood clots are a “very, very rare” side effect of the AstraZeneca vaccine among that age group.

Meanwhile, the University of Oxford which helped develop the vaccine with AstraZeneca said on Tuesday it had paused a small UK trial testing the COVID-19 vaccine in children and teenagers, as it waits for more data on rare blood clotting issues in adults who received the shot.

Domingo said that according to EMA, of 200 million people vaccinated by the AstraZeneca jab, about 16 cases of blood clotting and the decrease in blood platelets are possibly connected with the vaccine.

This is usually found on females aged 60 years old and below, he added.

However, there is no report yet of blood clots or decreased platelets among those inoculated with AstraZeneca vaccines in the Philippines, Domingo said.

EDV