The Department of Health (DOH) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) both issued a statement saying that AstraZeneca vaccines will still be used in the country amid reports that some European countries suspended its use due to blood clots in some inoculated individuals.
Both agencies supported the statement of the European Medicine Authority (EMA) that “the vaccine’s benefits continue to outweigh its risks.”
The DOH and FDA are now conducting their own investigation on the blood clot incidents and their possible link to AstraZeneca vaccines.
“At present, the DOH and FDA emphasize that there is no indication for the Philippines to stop (the) rollout of AstraZeneca vaccines,” the joint statement read.
The government will continue to monitor all the recipients of the vaccine, as well as developments in AstraZeneca vaccines abroad.
Denmark, Iceland, and Norway suspended their vaccination program with AstraZeneca while a full investigation is ongoing.
“The position of EMA’s safety committee PRAC (Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee) is that the vaccine’s benefits continue to outweigh its risks and the vaccine can continue to be administered while investigation of cases of thromboembolic events is ongoing,” the EMA said.
Over half a million doses of AstraZeneca vaccines were donated to the country by the World Health Organization early this month through its COVAX facility initiative.
