COVID-19

First possible blood clot case linked to AstraZeneca under investigation

First possible blood clot case linked to AstraZeneca under investigation

The medicines watchdog is investigating a possible link between an Irish patient's blood clot and the AstraZeneca vaccine.

It's the first "case of interest" that's been sent to the Health Protection Regulatory Authority here.

The European Medicines Agency said yesterday there was a possible link between the vaccine and cerebral venous sinus thrombosis, or CVRT.

Over 200-thousand doses of the formula have been given here -- around a fifth of Ireland's vaccine stock.

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HPRA Chief Executive Dr Lorraine Nolan says the patient involved has made a recovery and is expected to leave hospital soon.

She says they haven't established a link to the vaccine in this case yet.

"Its not possible for me to say at this stage if it fits the exact profile of these rare blood clotting events that have been the subject of the EMA review.

"The individual in question is making a recovery and is expected to be discharged from hospital soon so that is very promising."

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Microbiology Consultant Dr Fidelma Fitzpatrick says clotting remains rare, with over 200,000 AstraZeneca vaccines now administered here.

"If the EMA data looks at six in one million and we have administered one million doses, you would expect to see one case.

"So it is very rare. It is is significant for that person.

"But in the context of the pandemic we are experiencing and what we need to do as a society to try and get this back up and running it is very small but significant for that person."

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