Johnson & Johnson Vaccine's Benefits Outweigh Rare Blood Clots Risk: EU Agency

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) said in a statement that it had found a "possible link" between the jab and the clots, following eight such cases in the United States, one of which was fatal.

Blood clots should be listed as a "very rare" side effect of the Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine but its benefits still outweigh the risks, the EU's drug watchdog said on Tuesday. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) said in a statement that it had found a "possible link" between the jab and the clots, following eight such cases in the United States, one of which was fatal. Concerns over the vaccine by US pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson and the jab by rival drugmaker AstraZeneca have dampened hopes that vaccines could offer a swift end to the pandemic. "EMA finds possible link to very rare cases of unusual blood clots with low blood platelets," the Amsterdam-based agency said in a statement, adding that it "confirms (the) overall benefit-risk remains positive."