Oxford says identification of blood clots linked to vaccine shows safety system works

FILE PHOTO: Empty vials of Oxford/AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine are seen at a vaccination centre in Antwerp, Belgium March 18, 2021. REUTERS/Yves Herman/File Photo

LONDON (Reuters) - Oxford University on Wednesday said that the identification of rare blood clots that might be linked to its COVID-19 vaccine showed safety systems worked, emphasising that British and European regulators had found its benefits outweigh the risks.

"We are reassured to see that safety monitoring continues under the close scrutiny of regulators... The identification of rare cases of blood clots, which might be associated with the vaccine, shows that the safety system works," Andrew Pollard, director of the Oxford Vaccine Group, said of the reviews into the shot, developed with AstraZeneca