The AstraZeneca vaccine, the third against Covid-19 to be authorized by the European Medicines Agency, after that of Pfizer / BioNTech and that of Moderna, continues to generate ink.
Faced with the poor results on the elderly, some countries, like France, restrict its administration beyond 65 years.
Switzerland has decided to wait for other results.
Belgium, finally, has lowered the bar to 55 years old.
Not authorized immediately in Switzerland
In Switzerland, a country which manages its vaccination campaign alone, not part of the European Union, the drug agency estimated Wednesday that additional studies were necessary before authorizing the AstraZeneca vaccine.
“The data that have been submitted and studied to date are still insufficient to allow the granting of an authorization, writes Swissmedic in a press release.
Indeed, data from new studies are required to further assess safety, efficacy and quality.
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"The data currently available do not yet allow to conclude a positive benefit-risk ratio (for this vaccine)", continues Swissmedic, calling for additional data on the efficacy from a phase 3 study which is currently being carried out in America. North and South.
For under 55s only in Belgium
Due to a lack of sufficient efficacy data for this age group, Belgium has decided not to administer the vaccine to people over 55 years of age.
This decision, based on an opinion from the Higher Health Council, is "provisional", according to the Minister of Health Frank Vandenbroucke.
"It may be that, within six or eight weeks, we will have more data, it is quite possible that the opinion will change," said Frank Vandenbroucke.
But tentatively, it is said that the AstraZeneca vaccine will be aimed at those under the age of 55.
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Belgium, which has ordered 7.7 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, is due to start administering it next week, after a first delivery of 80,000 doses expected on February 7.
Elsewhere in Europe, an authorized vaccine… under certain conditions
Other countries of the European Union have approved the AstraZeneca vaccine, under age conditions, but less strict than in Belgium.
Thus, the vaccine can be administered in France and Germany up to 65 years.
Finland, one of the countries least affected by the epidemic on the continent, has reached 70 years of age.
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By validating it last Friday, thus authorizing its placing on the market, the European Medicines Agency had nevertheless posed no prerogative concerning the vaccination of the elderly.
And however to specify that there were "not yet enough results in the participants" of more than 55 years to calculate the effectiveness of the vaccine on this group.
