Γερμανοί αξιωματούχοι λένε ότι το εμβόλιο AstraZeneca δεν πρέπει να χορηγείται σε άτομα άνω των 65 ετών, αναφέροντας την έλλειψη δεδομένων
Από τους Claudia Otto, Laura Smith-Spark και Nadine Schmidt, CNNBerlin (CNN)Germany's vaccine commission said the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine should not be given to people older than 65 years, amid a bitter dispute between the European Union and the drugmaker over delayed supplies.
The Standing Committee on Vaccination (STIKO) at Germany's Robert Koch Institute (RKI), the country's main public health authority, found there is insufficient data on the effectiveness of the vaccine, developed by AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford, for this age group, according to a statement from the interior ministry on Thursday.
"Due to the small number of study participants in the age group ≥65 years, no conclusion can be made regarding efficacy and safety in the elderly. This vaccine is therefore currently recommended by STIKO only for persons aged 18-64 years," the panel said in its recommendation.
Responding to the announcement, an AstraZeneca spokesperson said "latest analyses of clinical trial data for the AstraZeneca/Oxford Covid-19 vaccine support efficacy in the over 65 years age group." The drugmaker is awaiting a regulatory decision by the European Union medicines regulator, the spokesperson added.
Thursday's announcement by the German Interior Ministry came amid an ongoing dispute between the European Union and AstraZeneca over delays to the delivery of its coronavirus vaccine to the bloc.
AstraZeneca has said it can't deliver as many doses as the EU expected, citing production challenges. But the European Commission, which ordered the vaccine on behalf of EU member states, says this is unacceptable, and the drugmaker must find a way to increase supply.....
