No evidence of direct link Astrazeneca-clots - EMA

(ANSA) - ROME, MAR 16 - There is no evidence of a direct link between the AstraZeneca vaccine and blood clots, European Medicines Agency (EMA) executive director Emer Cooke said Tuesday.
    However, EMA is conducting a "rigorous" analysis of the reported clots, assessing them on a case-by-case basis and will report back on Thursday, she said.
    Several European countries including Italy have suspended the Oxford-AstraZeneca jab after reported deaths - at least six in Italy - after having the vaccine, while stressing this is purely a precautionary and temporary measure.
    Cooke said EMA's assessment of the blood clots will come out on Thursday and "we assure transparency".
    She said "it is our priority to guarantee the safety of the vaccine and communicate the results".
    Cooke stressed that the risk-benefit ratio with the jab "remains positive, and we are continuing to assess side effects".
    She said the current situation "is not unexpected".
    The World Health Organization has stressed that the incidence of clots with the vaccine is lower than that in the general population, without the vaccine. (ANSA).