EU Adds Guillain-Barr? Syndrome to AstraZeneca Vaccine Side Effects

592 Million Vaccinations with 833 Cases Reported... Possible Causal Relationship Recognized
"Extremely Rare and Benefits of Vaccination Outweigh Risks"

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suhwan] The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has added Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) as one of the side effects of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine, named Vaxzevria.

According to major foreign media on the 8th (local time), the EMA announced that as of the end of July, 833 cases of GBS were reported out of 592 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine administered worldwide.

The EMA assessed the causal relationship between the AstraZeneca vaccine and GBS as "at least a reasonable possibility."

GBS is a rare neurological disorder in which the immune system damages nerve cells, causing muscle weakness or paralysis.

The main symptoms of this syndrome include diplopia, or seeing double, difficulty moving the eyes, and problems with swallowing, speaking, chewing, walking, and coordinating body movements.

There can also be numbness in the hands and arms, weakening of the muscles in the arms, legs, body, and face, and dysfunction of bladder or bowel control.

While the EMA added GBS as a side effect, it classified it under the lowest frequency category of "very rare."

At the same time, it emphasized that the benefits of vaccination outweigh the risks.

On the same day, the EMA also added some less severe side effects related to the COVID-19 vaccines from Moderna and Johnson & Johnson (J&J), in addition to AstraZeneca.

Earlier, in July, the EMA stated that there might be a causal relationship between the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) pharmaceutical subsidiary Janssen's COVID-19 vaccine and GBS, and that it would include it in the "very rare" category of side effects.

In the same month, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) also issued a warning that GBS is one of the possible side effects following Janssen vaccine administration.

Previously, in April, the EMA classified rare thrombosis as one of the side effects of the AstraZeneca and Janssen vaccines.