Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jul 01, 2025

University of Oxford pauses pediatric trial of its vaccine with AstraZeneca, pending review by UK regulator

University of Oxford pauses pediatric trial of its vaccine with AstraZeneca, pending review by UK regulator

A pediatric trial of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine has been paused pending a review by the UK's medicines regulator of rare blood clot cases in adults, a University of Oxford spokesperson told CNN Tuesday.
The spokesperson said the trial in children had not raised any safety concerns, but it would be paused while Britain's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, or MHRA, reviews rare cases of people who suffer blood clots while at the same time having low levels of blood platelets.

"Parents and children should continue to attend all scheduled visits and can contact the trial sites if they have any questions," the spokesperson said.

When contacted by CNN, AstraZeneca referred queries to Oxford University.

Last week, the medicines regulator said at least 30 people in the country had experienced rare types of blood clots after receiving the vaccine, but warned it was too early to know whether the shot itself triggered the clots.

The head of MHRA, Dr. June Raine, told CNN on Tuesday that the MHRA was "aware of the decision taken by the University of Oxford to pause dosing in the trial...whilst the MHRA safety review is ongoing."

"Participant safety in any clinical trial is our top priority, and no safety concerns have been reported with this trial," she added.

MHRA said in a statement it received 22 reports of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST), where clotting forms in the sinuses that drain blood from the brain, and eight other reports of thrombosis among a total of 15.8 million people who had been given at least one dose of the vaccine by March 21.

They did not say how many blood clots might otherwise have been expected among 15.8 million people

The agency has advised the UK to continue administering the vaccine in all groups, arguing that such clotting incidents are very rare and that the benefits still greatly outweigh the risks, echoing similar assessments by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

Regulators in other countries have also reported blood clots among people who have received the vaccine, particularly in Europe, where the AstraZeneca vaccine is widely used. Some countries are choosing to suspend the vaccine altogether, while others have limited its use to certain age groups.

Blood clots in general are so common that it is expected that a certain number of people will get them for various reasons at any given day of any given week. If someone has had a vaccine and then develops a blood clot, it doesn't necessarily mean the shot caused the clot.

After initial reports of clotting last month, AstraZeneca was quick to point out that the incidence of clots overall is lower in people who have received the shot that in the general population.

An AstraZeneca spokesperson said in a statement to CNN last week: "Patient safety remains the Company's highest priority," and pointed to authorities in the UK, EU and the WHO's recommendations to continue its use.

"The benefit risk profile of the vaccine was reaffirmed in the EMA's monthly safety update," the spokesperson said.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
Trump Administration Considers Withdrawal of Funding for Hospitals Providing Gender Treatment to Minors
Texas Enacts Law Allowing Gold and Silver Transactions
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
OpenAI Secures Multimillion-Dollar AI Contracts with Pentagon, India, and Grab
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Elon Musk Critiques Senate Budget Proposal Over Job Losses and Strategic Risks
Los Angeles Riots ended with Federal Investigations into Funding
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Education Secretary Announces Overhaul of Complaints System Amid Rising Parental Grievances
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Trump Ends Trade Talks with Canada Over Digital Services Tax
UK Government Softens Welfare Reform Plans Amid Labour Party Rebellion
Labour Faces Rebellion Over Disability Benefit Reforms Ahead of Key Vote
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Host Lavish Wedding in Venice Amid Protests
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
North Korea to Open New Beach Resort to Boost Tourism Economy
UK Labour Party Faces Internal Tensions Over Welfare Reforms
Andrew Cuomo Hints at Potential November Comeback Amid Democratic Primary Results
Curtis Sliwa Champions His Vision for New York City Amid Rising Crime Concerns
Federal Reserve Proposes Changes to Capital Rule Affecting Major Banks
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Trump Escalates Criticism of Media Over Iran Strike Coverage
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
Big Four Accounting Firms Fined in Exam Cheating Scandal
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
Australia's Star Casino Secures $195 Million Rescue Package Amid Challenges
UK to Enhance Nuclear Capabilities with Acquisition of F-35A Fighter Jets
Russian Shadow Payments via Cryptocurrency Reach $9 Billion
Explosions Rock Doha as Iranian Missiles Target Qatar
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Airlines Evaluate Flight Cancellations Amid Escalating US-Iran Tensions
Starmer Invites Innovators to Join Government Talent Scheme
UK Economy’s Strong Opening Quarter Shows Signs of Cooling
Harrods Seeks Court Order to Secure Al Fayed Estate for Victims
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
×