EMA lists neurological disorder as 'very rare' side effect of AstraZeneca Covid jab
To date, some 833 cases of the disorder have been reported out of 592 million doses of the Oxford University/AstraZeneca 'Vaxzevria' Covid-19 vaccine administered worldwide up to July 31. File Picture: PA
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has listed the neurological disorder Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) on its list of "very rare" side effects of the AstraZeneca (AZ) Covid-19 vaccine.
In a new safety report update on the AZ vaccine issued Wednesday, the EMA said that a causal relationship between the AZ ‘Vaxzevria’ jab and GBS was “at least a reasonable possibility.”
To date, some 833 cases of the disorder have been reported out of 592 million doses of the vaccine administered worldwide up to July 31.
The EMA said that these reported cases concern medical events that "have been observed after vaccination, but which are not necessarily related to or caused by the vaccine."
The “very rare” label puts GBS in the lowest frequency category for vaccine side effects. The regulator estimates GBS is likely to occur in fewer than one in 10,000 cases.
Guillain-Barre Syndrome itself is a rare disorder which causes a person’s immune system to attack their nerves. The first symptoms of the disorder are usually tingling and numbness in feet, hands and limbs.
In extreme cases, the disorder can lead to whole body paralysis and become life-threatening. However, with treatment, most people with GBS will eventually make a full recovery.
GBS occurs in about one in every 100,000 people. It affects people of all ages but is more common in adults and males.
In July, the EMA also listed GBS as a “very rare” side effect of the Janssen Covid-19 vaccine which, like the AZ jab, is an adenovirus vaccine. Both vaccines have also been associated with rare blood clots.
Despite the addition of GBS to the side effect list, the EMA stressed that the benefits of getting the AZ vaccine still far outweigh the risks
