Nerve disorder cited as possible new AstraZeneca side effect

European officials have flagged another potentially very rare side effect of the AstraZeneca vaccine.

Medicine regulators have cited the extremely rare nerve-damaging disorder, Guillain-Barré syndrome, as a possible side effect of the Covid-19 jab, regular safety updates from the watchdog show.

The number of cases that could be linked to the AstraZeneca vaccine is infinitesimally small.

The European Medicines Agency said a causal relationship between GBS and the AZ shot, known as Vaxzevria, was a "at least a reasonable possibility" after 833 cases of the syndrome were reported out of 592 million doses of the vaccine given worldwide by July 31.

The EMA categorised the side effect as "very rare," the lowest frequency of side-effect category it has, and has emphasised that the benefits of the shot far outweigh the risks.

The US Food and Drug Administration has added a warning over Guillain-Barré syndrome as a possible side effect of Johnson & Johnson's shot.

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Both vaccines use viral vector technology and have also been associated with rare blood clots.

The EMA also tagged some other less severe side effects to vaccines from Johnson & Johnson, Moderna as well as AstraZeneca's shot.

Reuters

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