ASTRAZENECA’S ISSUES DEEPEN

Europeans losing faith in firm’s vaccine, but Britons trust it

ASTRAZENECA’S European vaccine nightmare is worsening, with a number of countries halting shots over safety fears as further delivery delays prompt governments around the world to hoard doses they’ve already got.

At least 10 countries, including Italy and Norway, reacted after Austria, and later Denmark, raised concerns possible side effects from two batches. While Europe’s medicines regulator said there was no indication of issues, it led to suspensions stretching as far as Thailand.

The health scare emerged against a backdrop of further supply woes. The drugmaker’s efforts to make up for the European Union shortfall by sourcing shots elsewhere have hit a wall as governments around the world protect their own supplies.

The United States rebuffed pressure to share doses and is holding on to its Astra stockpile, even though the shot isn’t authorised there.

The drama keeps Astra at the centre of a political storm in Europe, weeks after manufacturing issues first put the two sides into conflict. Meanwhile, the EU is falling further behind the UK and US in vaccinations, creating a political crisis for the bloc’s leaders.

The latest developments will do little to encourage take up of the Astra vaccine in the EU, which had encountered issues in recent weeks in light of the varying efficacy rates, potential loss of protection against new virus variants, and questions on its efficacy in older adults. Until recently, a number of countries had restricted use of the shot to those aged under 65.

In a March 7 YouGov survey, perceptions in EU countries of the safety of the shot from Astra and the University of Oxford were lower compared with vaccines from Pfizer and partner BioNTech, and Moderna Inc. By contrast, Britons viewed Astra’s as the safest of the three.

The suspensions may further embed negative views, despite the guidance from the European Medicines Agency.

The number of incidents reported — about 30 from a group of around five million — is no greater than what would have occurred naturally in that size of population, according to regulators and scientists.

“Genuine problems with a batch are very rare and almost always relate to contamination by bacteria or physical” particles like glass detected by the manufacturer, said Stephen Evans, a professor at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.

“Pausing the use in this case is not evidence-based.”

Astra said an analysis of safety data of more than 10 million records had shown no evidence of an increased risk of pulmonary embolism or deep vein thrombosis in any age group, gender, batch or country.

The Astra vaccine has become an emblem for growing pandemic nationalism as countries race to inoculate populations as quickly as possible.

Back in Europe, the EU spent much of the past week in another war of words with the UK after it accused Britain of blocking vaccine exports. The EU itself has exported millions of doses.

“I think there’s an incredible irony with the EU complaining about other countries being protectionist,” said Mark EcclestonTurner, a law and infectious disease specialist at Keele University in England.

“At the start of this pandemic they were referring to this vaccine as a public good, and then sought to buy up as many doses as they can and put export controls” in place.