UK medicine regulator looking at capillary leak syndrome precaution for AstraZeneca shot

FILE PHOTO: A vial of AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine is seen at a vaccination centre in Westfield Stratford City shopping centre, amid the outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in London, Britain, February 18, 2021. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls

LONDON — Britain’s MHRA medicine regulator is considering precautionary advice for people with a history of capillary leak syndrome but does not see a causal link with AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine after the EU said it was a rare side effect of the shot.

MHRA Chief Executive June Raine said that two of eight reports of capillary leak syndrome following AstraZeneca vaccination were in people with a history of the condition, and 40 million doses of the vaccine had been given.

“The incidence of these reports is lower than the number of cases expected to occur by chance in the absence of vaccination of this extremely rare condition and the current evidence does not suggest that capillary leak syndrome is caused by the COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca,” she said.

“Whether or not a precautionary advice is warranted for patients who have previously experienced capillary leak syndrome is currently being carefully considered by the MHRA as well as the independent Commission on Human Medicines’ COVID-19 Benefit/Risk Expert Working Group.”