AstraZeneca Withdrawal: Gov't must research into adverse claims – Dr Thomas Anaba

Dr Thomas Anaba, a Public Health Expert, has called on the Government to conduct research into claims and findings that COVID-19 AstraZeneca vaccines are not safe and act appropriately.

Some foreign media outlets, including the Independent of the United Kingdom have carried articles, suggesting that the vaccine is causing rare blood clots in human beings.

He said this was possible as there was necessary data to this effect and as such the Ghana Health Service (GHS) could liaise with hospitals to identify those who came with clotting derailment.

“They can also take it in a group of people to see whether there will be the same results being recorded in the United States and other countries,” he added.

Dr Anaba also the former Medical Director of the Greater Accra Regional Hospital (Ridge) made the call during a media engagement following reports suggesting that AstraZeneca is withdrawing its COVID-19 vaccine worldwide, admitting that the drug could cause very rare, but life-threatening injuries.

The withdrawal of the AstraZeneca vaccine on the World market has caused fear among the public especially those who took the jab.

According to the Ghana Health Service (GHS), a total of 10, 545, 038 AstraZeneca doses of vaccines have been administered in the country so far.

Dr Anaba said many people visited hospitals with certain deaths such as heart attack, and stroke among others, but no research had been done to ascertain whether AstraZeneca was associated with those clotting derailment in those who have died in Ghana.

The Health Expect responding to the withdrawal by AstraZeneca, said, “It is better to withdraw and use other drugs that have proven to have lesser side effects for Ghanaians to be on a safer side.”

Dr Anaba also disagreed with the claims by the GHS that the withdrawal by AstraZeneca was due to commercial purposes.

“Some of us do not believe that is the full reason because licensing by WHO for companies to produce COVID-19 vaccines escaped a very important phase in vaccine trial, which is the post-marketing surveillance, being the fourth phase.

“This enabled the vaccines to be used because too many people were dying, this means that post-marketing surveillance that would have come out with actual side effects of all the vaccines was not done.

“The number needed for such a set of surveillance was in the hundreds and thousands of people but the WHO permitted such companies to use just a few thousand people during their trials given the situation at the time. Many people after that have criticized some of the vaccines and associated it with some side effects, especially clotting.

"There is evidence in the United States which says that AstraZeneca causes a lot of blood clotting issues in many patients, however, no post-marketing surveillance has been conducted by the Food and Drugs Board or Government so if AstraZeneca has decided to withdraw it is only prudent that the Government does the same in Ghana,” Dr Anaba added.

He explained that no businessman would invest millions of dollars in a drug and just withdraw it if it was not for something more serious than commercial purposes.

“They could have reduced the price to meet the commercial demand and make a profit. They cannot just recall and withdraw the drugs,” he added.

He urged the GHS to come again on the matter and save Ghanaians from any disaster that might occur.

Meanwhile, the GHS in allaying panic among the public has assured that AstraZeneca vaccines were no more part of the COVID-19 vaccines being administered in the ongoing vaccination campaign.

According to the Service, COVID-19 AstraZeneca vaccines have not been procured in the last two years and urged those who have already taken it not to panic.

GNA