JFDA: Vaccines go through rigorous approval process
The Jordan Food and Drug Administration conducts a thorough and rigorous inspection of the antigen file of any vaccine, including the COVID-19 vaccine, before it is approved for use, said Nizar Muhaidat, General Director of JFDA.
Muhaidat told the Jordan News Agency (Petra), on Tuesday, that the vaccine passes through two study stages; the first involves studying the antigen file before registration, and the second occurs post-circulation and marketing to monitor any side effects that might appear contrary to what is listed in the file.
JFDA, he added, is following up on the reports submitted to a website dedicated to detailing any side effects or adverse events, indicating that each report is inspected separately by specialized committees. The administration also actively stays up-to-date on the latest developments at the local and international levels, he pointed out.
Jordan began administering the AstraZeneca vaccine as of last Saturday, Muhaidat underlined, and the administration observed common and expected side effects from the vaccine, including general fatigue, joint pain, muscle pain, chills, high temperature, headache, and nausea.
He pointed out that some countries recommended the suspension of the jab temporarily following recent reports of blood clotting among those jabbed in some countries, pending verification of these incidents and their relation to the vaccine.
To date, no non-European country has suspended the AstraZeneca vaccine, which is distributed under the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) initiative. Countries including Canada, Saudi Arabia, Morocco and Australia still circulate the vaccine, while some African countries have imported a total of 14.5 million doses.
The AstraZeneca company today published a preliminary report stating that among the 17 million people vaccinated in the European Union, 15 persons have suffered deep vein thrombosis, while 22 suffered pulmonary thrombosis, a much lower number than expected to occur in the general population.
The company reported that the clotting incidents among the phase three clinical trials were higher in those who did not receive the vaccine than those who did, assuring that there is no link between the AstraZeneca jab and the clotting events.