<keyword id="19910149" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="AstraZeneca" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="AstraZeneca" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="AstraZeneca">AstraZeneca</keyword> made headlines on Tuesday as it initiated the global withdrawal of its COVID-19 vaccine. This decision comes weeks after the pharmaceutical giant acknowledged the vaccine's potential to trigger a rare side effect known as <keyword id="21475609" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Thrombosis-with-Thrombocytopenia-Syndrome" source="keywords">Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome</keyword> (TTS). Previously, AstraZeneca had admitted in court filings that its vaccine could lead to side effects like <keyword id="21303970" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="blood-clots" source="keywords">blood clots</keyword> and low blood platelet counts. However, the company has now attributed its <keyword id="21572759" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="vaccine-withdrawal" source="Orion">vaccine withdrawal</keyword> not to the aforementioned side effects, but to an "oversupply of updated vaccines" since the pandemic. The company also announced its decision to revoke the vaccine Vaxzevria's marketing authorisations within Europe, noting that the oversupply has reduced the demand for Vaxzevria, which is no longer being produced or distributed. According to The Telegraph, AstraZeneca had submitted its application to withdraw the vaccine on March 5, and the withdrawal became effective on May 7. AstraZeneca collaborated with the University of Oxford to develop the Vaxzevria vaccine, while also partnering with the <keyword id="19897707" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Serum-Institute-of-India" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Serum Institute of India" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Serum Institute of India">Serum Institute of India</keyword> (SII), the world's largest vaccine manufacturer, to supply the Covishield vaccine to the Indian government. The UK-based pharma company is currently facing <keyword id="19982808" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="legal-action" source="keywords">legal action</keyword> alleging that its vaccine has caused deaths and severe harm to a few of those who received it. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="The lawsuits against AstraZeneca" comment="subhead" text="The lawsuits against AstraZeneca">The lawsuits against AstraZeneca</cmsannotation> Families of individuals affected by adverse vaccine reactions continue to pursue legal recourse against AstraZeneca and the Serum Institute of India. <keyword id="21513237" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="venugopalan-govindan" source="keywords">Venugopalan Govindan</keyword>, whose daughter Karunya passed away after receiving the Covishield vaccine, expressed his grief and criticised various parties for his daughter's death. He highlighted alleged negligence in responding to early warning signs and cited missed opportunities to prevent tragedies like his daughter's passing. Eight families across India have joined forces to seek justice, emphasising their collective determination to hold accountable those they deem responsible for the tragic loss of their loved ones. Their shared resolve underscores their commitment to achieving justice and preventing similar tragedies from occurring again, he added. In the UK, <keyword id="21472612" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="jamie-scott" source="keywords">Jamie Scott</keyword> took legal action last year after suffering from a blood clot and brain bleed following his vaccination in April 2021. AstraZeneca initially denied a causal link between the vaccine and this particular side-effect, but later admitted in court documents that the vaccine could cause TTS in very rare cases. As many as 51 cases have reportedly been filed against AstraZeneca in the British High Court, with affected individuals and families seeking compensation totaling an estimated £100 million. (With inputs from multiple agencies)

AstraZeneca continues to face legal action even after withdrawing its COVID vaccine! Know all about it here

The pharmaceutical giant <keyword id="19910149" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="AstraZeneca" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="AstraZeneca" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="AstraZeneca">AstraZeneca</keyword>'s <keyword id="20040659" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="COVID-19-vaccine" source="keywords">COVID-19 vaccine</keyword> is being withdrawn worldwide after the company acknowledged for the first time in court documents that it can cause a rare and dangerous side effect, according to a report in the British Newspaper 'The Telegraph'. AstraZeneca has announced that the <keyword id="19959412" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="vaccine" source="keywords">vaccine</keyword> was being removed from markets for commercial reasons. It further said that the vaccine was no longer being made or supplied, having been superseded by updated vaccines that fight new variants. The application to withdraw the vaccine was made on March 5 and came into effect on May 7. The vaccine can be no longer used in the European Union following the company's decision to withdraw its "marketing authorisation." Similar applications will be submitted in the UK and other nations in the coming months that have given a go-ahead to the vaccine, known as Vaxzevria. In recent months, Vaxzevria has come under scrutiny over a very rare side effect, which causes blood clots and low blood platelet counts. In court documents, AstraZeneca in the High Court in February admitted that the vaccine "can, in very rare cases, cause <keyword id="20218859" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="TTS" source="keywords">TTS</keyword>". TTS which stands for <keyword id="21475609" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Thrombosis-with-Thrombocytopenia-Syndrome" source="keywords">Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome</keyword> has been associated with at least 81 deaths in the UK and hundreds of serious injuries. More than 50 alleged victims and grieving relatives have filed a lawsuit against AstraZeneca in a High Court case. AstraZeneca has insisted that the decision to withdraw the vaccine is not related to the case or admission that it can cause TTS and termed the timing a pure coincidence, according to The Telegraph report. "We are incredibly proud of the role Vaxzevria played in ending the global pandemic. According to independent estimates, over 6.5 million lives were saved in the first year of use alone and over three billion doses were supplied globally. Our efforts have been recognised by governments around the world and are widely regarded as being a critical component of ending the global pandemic," The Telegraph quoted AstraZeneca as saying. In a statement, the pharmaceutical giant said, "As multiple, variant Covid-19 vaccines have since been developed, there is a surplus of available updated vaccines", adding that it has led to a decline in demand for Vaxzevria, which is no longer being manufactured or supplied, The Telegraph reported. It further announced its decision to initiate the withdrawal of the marketing authorisations for Vaxzevria within Europe. The company said, "We will now work with regulators and our partners to align on a clear path forward to conclude this chapter and significant contribution to the Covid-19 pandemic." Last week, AstraZeneca reiterated its commitment to patient safety while emphasising the vaccine's overall safety profile. An AstraZeneca spokesperson had stated, "Our sympathy goes out to anyone who has lost loved ones or reported health problems. Patient safety is our highest priority, and regulatory authorities have clear and stringent standards to ensure the safe use of all medicines, including vaccines." This comes in the wake of a recent admission by AstraZeneca, the pharmaceutical company, that its <keyword id="19896627" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="covid" source="keywords">Covid</keyword> vaccine Covishield and Vaxzevria "can, in very rare cases, cause Thrombosis Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (TTS)." Despite these rare occurrences, the pharmaceutical company maintained that extensive clinical trial data and real-world evidence consistently support the vaccine's safety and efficacy. Regulatory agencies worldwide continue to assert that the benefits of vaccination outweigh the risks of such extremely rare side effects. 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AstraZeneca withdraws COVID-19 vaccine worldwide, cites commercial reasons

Ever since the virus reared its ugly head and briefly sent the world into despair, the coronavirus has remained a staple, albeit almost sidelined, part of the news cycle. Despite this, the topic has come to the forefront of controversy once again, with an extremely popular <keyword id="20040659" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="COVID-19-vaccine" source="keywords">COVID-19 vaccine</keyword> now under scrutiny. Considering that the world is still healing from the scars left behind by the coronavirus tragedy, it is imperative that we gauge the situation to avoid any unwarranted public paranoia. Let’s look at the facts behind the ongoing <keyword id="19910149" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="AstraZeneca" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="AstraZeneca" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="AstraZeneca">AstraZeneca</keyword> (or <keyword id="19960109" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="covishield" source="keywords">Covishield</keyword>, as it is known in India) vaccine controversy, and determine if there really is a cause for worry. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="What happened?" comment="subhead" text="What happened?">What happened?</cmsannotation> Shortly after receiving the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in 2021, UK-based <keyword id="21472612" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="jamie-scott" source="keywords">Jamie Scott</keyword> experienced a harrowing ordeal. He developed a brain clot and severe bleeding, resulting in permanent brain injury. This condition, known as <keyword id="21475609" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Thrombosis-with-Thrombocytopenia-Syndrome" source="keywords">Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome</keyword> (<keyword id="20218859" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="tts" source="keywords">TTS</keyword>), can lead to dangerously low blood clot and platelet levels, posing a grave risk to those affected. Jamie's struggles with memory loss, impaired vision, and diminished cognitive abilities compelled him to seek legal recourse against the pharmaceutical company in 2023. Jamie's legal representative contends that AstraZeneca minimized the potential risks linked to their vaccines. Moreover, reports indicate that over 50 vaccinated individuals experienced similar adverse conditions, with numerous cases resulting in fatalities or severe injuries. Despite these assertions, the pharmaceutical company refutes the allegations, stating that they do not acknowledge a causal relationship between the vaccine and Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (TTS) on a generic level. However, a year of court wrangling later, legal documents submitted by AstraZeneca have now admitted that their vaccine can cause TTS in very rare cases, although the causal mechanism is still not well known. This revelation has led to renewed uproar against the vaccine’s side-effects. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Is there cause for worry?" comment="subhead" text="Is there cause for worry?">Is there cause for worry?</cmsannotation> In short words, not really. Links between the <keyword id="21483117" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="AstraZeneca-vaccine" source="keywords">AstraZeneca vaccine</keyword> and vaccine-induced immune TTS have been scientifically identified since early 2021, soon after the first COVID-19 vaccines had come out. However, it is so very rare — a few dozen reported cases among the millions administered — that even the World Health Organisation has deemed the vaccine “safe and effective” for all individuals aged 18 and above. Moreover, even influenza, H1N1 and rabies vaccines can cause TTS in very rare instances. Further, it is important to note that an infection with COVID-19 is itself a major cause for clot, heart attacks and strokes. Being vaccinated actually lowers these risks. There is also the fact that all vaccines or drugs carry potential side-effects, and these medical interventions are only cleared for release after determining that their benefits vastly outweigh any complications. Finally, the <keyword id="21483118" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="TTS-side-effects" source="keywords">TTS side-effects</keyword> — which include symptoms such as headaches, blurred vision, chest pain, leg swelling or tiny blood spots under the skin — manifest between 1-6 weeks of vaccination. Considering that most Indians received their Covishield jab a couple of years ago, there should be no reason to panic now. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Is it time to consider alternate vaccines?" comment="subhead" text="Is it time to consider alternate vaccines?">Is it time to consider alternate vaccines?</cmsannotation> There is no particular hard evidence that suggests the supremacy of one vaccine over another, considering that they all carry varying degrees of side-effects. That being said, <keyword id="9485939" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="covaxin" source="Orion">Covaxin</keyword> boasts a higher efficacy than Covishield, and has better research data among Indian subjects. However, it may also be important to know that the administration of the AstraZeneca vaccine has been discontinued in many countries, mainly due the aforementioned risk of blood clotting in certain age groups. Whatever the choice, the fact of the matter remains that these vaccines have saved millions since their introduction, and it is pertinent that we continue taking them diligently, unless any premier health authorities recommend otherwise.

Should you be worried about the potential side-effects of the Covishield vaccine?

Medical expert Dr Rajeev Jayadevan said that <keyword id="21480687" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Thrombosis-Thrombocytopenia-Syndrome" source="keywords">Thrombosis Thrombocytopenia Syndrome</keyword> (<keyword id="20218859" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="TTS" source="keywords">TTS</keyword>) refers to the <keyword id="21480686" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="clot-in-blood-vessels" source="keywords">clot in blood vessels</keyword>, and it occurs in very rare cases, following the use of certain types of <keyword id="19953288" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="vaccines" source="keywords">vaccines</keyword>. Acknowledging that the <keyword id="20250806" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="COVID-vaccines" source="keywords">Covid vaccines</keyword> have helped in preventing numerous deaths, Jayadevan, who is the Co-Chairman of National Indian Medical Association (IMA) Covid Task Force in Kerala, stated that reports of such cases have also been highlighted in many reports. "TTS is thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome, which is basically clot in blood vessels of the brain or elsewhere, along with a low platelet count. It is known to occur in very rare instances following certain types of vaccines and also from other causes. According to the WHO, adenovirus vector vaccines in particular have been rarely associated with this condition," he told ANI. "Although COVID vaccines have prevented numerous deaths, reports of these extremely rare but potentially serious immune mediated events have also been published in reputed journals," Dr Jayadevan added. This comes in the wake of a recent admission by <keyword id="19910149" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="AstraZeneca" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="AstraZeneca" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="AstraZeneca">AstraZeneca</keyword>, the pharmaceutical company, that its Covid vaccine Covishield and Vaxzevria "can, in very rare cases, cause TTS." According to several UK media reports, AstraZeneca has made the admission in court documents in connection with a case that alleges that the vaccine, developed with the University of Oxford, caused death and serious injury in dozens of cases. The Serum Institute of India produced COVID-19 vaccine named Covishield but not using mRNA platform. It has been prepared using the viral vector platform. In the vaccine, a chimpanzee adenovirus - ChAdOx1 - has been modified to enable it to carry the COVID-19 spike protein into the cells of humans. This cold virus is basically incapable of infecting the receiver, but can very well teach the immune system to prepare a mechanism against such viruses. The same technology was used to prepare vaccines for viruses like Ebola. Amid reports about clot in blood vessels in the UK media, the Serum Institute of India did not respond to the query. Notably in 2023, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said in its report that TTS emerged as a new adverse event following immunisation in individuals vaccinated with COVID-19 non-replicant adenovirus vector-based vaccines. This refers to the AstraZeneca COVID-19 ChAdOx-1 vaccine and the Johnson &amp; Johnson (J&amp;J) Janssen COVID-19 Ad26.COV2-S vaccines. "TTS is a serious and life-threatening adverse event. WHO has issued this interim emergency guidance to increase awareness about TTS in the context of COVID-19 vaccination and help healthcare providers in the assessment and management of potential TTS cases," the 2023 statement by WHO read. However, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya in March 2024 at 'Dialogues - Navigating India's health sector' said that ICMR has done a detailed study which shows that COVID-19 vaccine is not responsible for heart attacks, and an individual's lifestyle and factors such as binge drinking could be among underlying causes. Mandaviya said, "If someone has a stroke today, they think it is because of the Covid vaccine. ICMR has done a detailed study that the (Covid) vaccine is not responsible for heart attacks." (ANI)

TTS: Clot in blood vessels occurs in rare cases with certain vaccines, says medical expert amid reports over AstraZeneca

Scientists have uncovered more knowledge about the risk of developing a very rare blood clotting condition following vaccination against COVID-19, according to a study. Based on health data from five European countries and the US, the study shows an increased risk of the condition, called thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (<keyword id="4680766" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="tts" source="Orion">TTS</keyword>), after first-dose of the Oxford-Astrazeneca vaccine (same as Covishield in formulation). The study, published in The British Medical Journal (<keyword id="259649" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="bmj" source="Orion">BMJ</keyword>), also shows a trend towards an increased risk after the Janssen/Johnson &amp; Johnson vaccine, compared with the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. The researchers stressed that the syndrome is very rare, but said the observed risks "should be considered when planning further immunisation campaigns and future vaccine development." TTS occurs when a person has blood clots (thrombosis) as well as low blood platelet counts (thrombocytopenia). According to the study, it is very rare and different from general clotting conditions like deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or lung clots (pulmonary embolism). TTS is currently being investigated as a rare side effect of adenovirus-based Covid vaccines, which use a weakened virus to trigger an immune response against coronavirus, but no clear evidence exists on the comparative safety of different types of vaccines, according to the study. To address this knowledge gap, an international team of researchers set out to compare the risk of TTS or thromboembolic events associated with the use of adenovirus-based Covid vaccines with mRNA-based Covid vaccines. Their findings were based on routinely collected health data for more than 10 million adults in France, <keyword id="87" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="germany" source="Orion">Germany</keyword>, the Netherlands, Spain, the UK, and the US who received at least one dose of a Covid vaccine (Oxford-AstraZeneca, Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna or Janssen/Johnson &amp; Johnson) from December 2020 to mid-2021. Further, to minimise possible error, participants were matched by the researchers by age and sex and a range of other potentially influential factors such as pre-existing conditions and medication use were taken into account. The researchers then compared rates of thrombosis and of thrombosis with thrombocytopenia between the adenovirus vaccines (Oxford-AstraZeneca or Janssen/Johnson &amp; Johnson) and the mRNA vaccines (Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna) within 28 days after vaccination. Overall, 1.3 million first-dose Oxford-AstraZeneca recipients were matched to 2.1 million Pfizer-BioNTech recipients from Germany and the UK. An additional 7,62,517 people receiving Janssen/Johnson &amp; Johnson were matched to 2.8 million receiving Pfizer-BioNTech in Germany, Spain, and the US, and all 6,28,164 Janssen/Johnson &amp; Johnson recipients from the US were matched to 2.2 million Moderna recipients. A total of 862 thrombocytopenia events were found in the matched first dose Oxford-AstraZeneca recipients from Germany and the UK, and 520 events after the first dose of Pfizer-BioNTech. When the data were pooled together, the analysis showed a 30 per cent increased risk of thrombocytopenia after the first dose of Oxford-AstraZeneca compared with Pfizer-BioNTech - an absolute risk difference of 8.21 per 100,000 recipients, the study found. No differential risk of thrombocytopenia was seen after a second dose of Oxford-AstraZeneca compared with the second dose of Pfizer-BioNTech. Similarly, no increased risk of thrombocytopenia was noted after Janssen/Johnson &amp; Johnson compared with the first dose of Pfizer-BioNTech. This is an observational study, and the researchers acknowledge that the rarity of the condition and incomplete vaccine records may have affected the results. Additionally, the scientists cannot rule out the possibility that some of the observed risks may have been due to other unmeasured and confounding factors. However, the study claims to be well-designed and that it allowed comparison of available vaccines with each other, rather than with no vaccination, and that the results were consistent after additional analyses, suggesting that they withstand scrutiny. "To our knowledge, this is the first multinational analysis of the comparative safety of adenovirus-based compared with mRNA-based Covid-19 vaccines," said the authors. "Although these events are very rare, absolute numbers of affected patients could become substantial owing to the large numbers of vaccine doses administered worldwide," they warned. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/health/news/us-health-experts-concerned-over-triple-threat-of-flu-covid-rsv/articleshow/95099397.cms">US health experts concerned over triple threat of flu, Covid, RSV</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/health/news/e-cigarettes-can-cause-cardiac-troubles-warns-new-research/articleshow/95100181.cms">E-cigarettes can cause cardiac troubles warns new research</a>

Scientists uncover more data on blood clotting side effect of Covid jab

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Experts are learning more about the very rare clots some people get after taking <keyword id="8763838" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="covid-19">COVID-19</keyword> vaccines.</li><li>The clots - called vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia - differ from other types.</li><li>The CDC advises different treatments, warning that treating VITT like other clots may be harmful.</li></ul>As scientists research the rare <keyword id="30946" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="blood-clots">blood clots</keyword> developing in a small number of people who take COVID-19 vaccines, they are learning that they differ from other clots in crucial ways.The clots appear to occur in at most 5 people per million who take the shots. Researchers have given them a new name: vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia, or VITT.They come with a special new challenge: treating them in the same way as more ordinary clots may be bad for patients, resulting in warnings to medics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Experts believe that the clots need a different approach because they tend to occur alongside another symptom - lower-than-usual levels of platelets in the blood.Concern about the specific new challenges VITT presents have been cited as a reason for the cautious approach taken by some regulators.<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-plans-pause-johnson-and-johnson-vaccine-rollout-blood-clots-report-2021-4">Pausing</a> the Johnson &amp; Johnson vaccine in the US was in part to "prepare the healthcare system to recognize and treat patients appropriately" when clots occur, CDC Deputy Director Dr. Anne Schuchat said in <a href="https://www.rev.com/blog/transcripts/fda-cdc-press-conference-on-pause-of-johnson-johnson-vaccine-transcript-april-13">a briefing on April 13</a>.<a href="https://emergency.cdc.gov/han/2021/han00442.asp">According to the CDC</a>, the use of the standard blood clot treatments "may be harmful, and alternative treatments need to be given."The CDC, as well as medical bodies in the UK, have warned specifically against using the common anti-clotting drug herapin.The combination of unusual blood clots with a low platelet count "in an otherwise healthy young individual is very unusual," said Andreas Greinacher, a professor of transfusion medicine at the Greifswald University Clinic in Germany."This was the signal which raised all the suspicion and drove alertness of physicians to the problem."Greinacher spoke to Insider at a news briefing Friday on the clotting issue, which has also provoked regulatory responses around Europe.The European Medicines agency has <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/astrazeneca-vaccine-side-effects-blood-clots-very-rare-ema-2021-4">listed unusual blood clots</a> with low platelets as a very rare adverse event of the AstraZeneca vaccine, which uses similar technology to Johnson &amp; Johnson's.In the US, the CDC has reported six cases of serious clots after the Johnson &amp; Johnson vaccine, prompting the US to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-plans-pause-johnson-and-johnson-vaccine-rollout-blood-clots-report-2021-4">pause its rollout</a>.The risk of developing VITT after vaccination remains extremely low. Looking at the number of cases detected compared to the millions of doses delivered, the risk seems to be <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/astrazeneca-johnson-and-johnson-rare-blood-clots-similar-2021-4">5 to a million</a> for the AstraZeneca vaccine.It seem to be about 1 to a million for the Johnson &amp; Johnson vaccine, although this is a very <a href="https://news.yahoo.com/fauci-reminds-small-risk-j-185912339.html">rough estimate</a>. Regulators around the world agree that the benefits of COVID-19 vaccination far outweigh its risks, though they have taken differing approaches to deciding which groups should take which shots.The decisions are complicated by the spread of COVID-19 being more intense in some countries than others, changing the risk calculations.The risks of getting COVID-19, including the risk of <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/covid-19-blood-clots-than-vaccines-astrazeneca-cvst-2021-4">developing blood clots as part of that disease</a>, is considered to be much higher than the risk of adverse events from a COVID-19 vaccine. 39 cases of VITT have been reported in the <a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMe2106315?query=recirc_curatedRelated_article#">New England Journal of Medicine</a>. 40% of those patients died.These had low platelets and unusual blood clots in the brain, but also in the abdomen, or in the liver. They all occured in patients who had one shot of the AstraZeneca vaccine .Greinacher was the lead author on a <a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2104840">paper published</a> in the New England Journal of Medicine that described VITT in five cases from Germany and Austria.Separately, another group, led by Professor Pål André Holme, chief physician at the Oslo University in Norway, published <a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2104882?query=recirc_curatedRelated_article">similar conclusions</a> for 11 patients there. A <a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMoa2105385">UK study</a> published April 16, led by Professor Marie Scully, professor of haemostasis and thrombosis at University College London, showed another 23 cases of VITT after vaccination.In almost every case, the patients developed what are called anti-PF4 antibodies, a response which suggests that the body is attacking its own platelets. (PF4 is a chemical released by platelets.)This is similar to another condition scientists were already aware of called "heparin-induced thrombocytopenia" or HIT. HIT happens in rare cases in people given heparin, a blood-thinning medicine. It is meant to to disrupt the blotting process and help clear any blockages.In very rare cases, the body starts to attack the heparin. In more serious cases, the body gets confused and also makes anti-PF4 antibodies to attack its own platelets.This is why giving heparin to patients with VITT could be dangerous, prompting new guidance from regulators.Summing up the emerging consensus, Professor Bruce Campbell, head of stroke and interim head of neurology department at the Royal Melbourne Hospital in Australia, told Insider: "The recommendations coming out from expert bodies are to avoid using our standard treatment for CVST, which is heparin."(CVST stands for cerebral vascular blood clots, which means blood clots on the brain.)A lot of uncertainty remains: a formal link between the vaccine and VITT has not been established.Scientists need time to closely examine the cases, which can be difficult because they are so rare. At the same time, regulators are deciding to act without absolute proof because the consequences can be severe.For Holme, the Norwegian physician, however, "nothing but the vaccine can explain why these individuals had this immune response," <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/scientists-say-they-found-cause-of-blood-clotting-linked-to-astrazeneca-vaccine-11616169108">The Wall Street Journal reported</a>. The mechanism behind this phenomenon is not clear at the moment. However, catching the syndrome earlier and learning how to treat it should reduce mortality from VITT, the editors of the New England said in <a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMe2106315?query=recirc_curatedRelated_article">an editorial</a>. Asked whether there was a higher risk of death from VITT, Campbell, the neurologist from Melbourne, said: "I think at this stage there's not enough information to be confident about this."

The rare clots people get after taking COVID-19 vaccines are different from other clots and require special treatment

Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome

You Searched For "Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome" and got 6 results

AstraZeneca continues to face legal action even after withdrawing its COVID vaccine! Know all about it here

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AstraZeneca withdraws COVID-19 vaccine worldwide, cites commercial reasons

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Should you be worried about the potential side-effects of the Covishield vaccine?

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TTS: Clot in blood vessels occurs in rare cases with certain vaccines, says medical expert amid reports over AstraZeneca

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Scientists uncover more data on blood clotting side effect of Covid jab

PTI

The rare clots people get after taking COVID-19 vaccines are different from other clots and require special treatment

Marianne Guenot