Thailand no longer using AstraZeneca's Covid-19 vaccines

[reader]

From The Nation

The Ministry of Public Health says it has known about the risk of blood-clotting side effects from AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine since the beginning, and confirmed it has not purchased additional AstraZeneca vaccines after stocks were depleted.

There have been have reported cases of litigation in the United Kingdom regarding adverse effects after receiving the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine, sometimes resulting in fatal blood-clotting incidents.

While AstraZeneca disputes these allegations, it did admit for the first time in one court document that its vaccine could potentially cause thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS) or blood clotting in some cases.

Dr Surachoke Tangwiwat, deputy permanent secretary of the Ministry of Public Health, said AstraZeneca has been providing information on vaccine side effects through medical journals since its emergency use authorisation (EUA), and now it is widely authorised. The ministry has been collecting adverse-event data as evidence, including cases of litigation.

When there are recommendations or academic information available, the ministry incorporates them into vaccine guidelines, Surachoke said. For instance, when AstraZeneca provided data on blood clotting in younger age groups, the ministry recommended vaccination only for individuals aged 30 and above.

“Data on blood-clotting incidents have been disclosed since the vaccine was used in emergency situations. The company itself has presented this information to all countries using the vaccine, including Thailand.

As for the AstraZeneca vaccine, Thailand has already used up its supply, and there have been no additional purchases this year. Therefore, the vaccines currently available for Covid-19 are supplied by Pfizer and Moderna, Surachoke said.

https://www.nationthailand.com/health-wellness/40037690

[unicorn]

The AZ vaccine was never approved in the US. To be put in context:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embolic_and_thrombotic_events_after_COVID-19_vaccination

"The UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) reporting regards AZD1222 to 3 November 2021, recording 73 deaths out of 425 cases (17%) in the context of 24.9 million first doses administered." The increased risk seems to be seen mainly in women on birth control pills. Of course, the original strain of the virus had much higher risks of blood clots. Now that the virus is no more serious than a regular cold, there seems little reason to use the AZ vaccine (or Janssen), since the Moderna and Pfizer don't seem to have that problem, as low as the risk is.