Podcast
Questions and Answers
What is the primary vector used in the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine?
What is the primary vector used in the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine?
Which notable company partnered with Oxford University for the production of the vaccine?
Which notable company partnered with Oxford University for the production of the vaccine?
What was the first country to grant emergency approval for the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine?
What was the first country to grant emergency approval for the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine?
Which condition involves inflammation of heart tissue and has been associated with the AstraZeneca vaccine?
Which condition involves inflammation of heart tissue and has been associated with the AstraZeneca vaccine?
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Who is the chairman of AstraZeneca?
Who is the chairman of AstraZeneca?
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What is the name of the leader sequence included in the vaccine's coding sequence?
What is the name of the leader sequence included in the vaccine's coding sequence?
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What significant event occurred on January 4, 2021, regarding the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine?
What significant event occurred on January 4, 2021, regarding the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine?
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Which of the following is not a side effect associated with AstraZeneca?
Which of the following is not a side effect associated with AstraZeneca?
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In what year was AstraZeneca founded?
In what year was AstraZeneca founded?
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Which country was the first to suspend the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine distribution?
Which country was the first to suspend the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine distribution?
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What is Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (TTS) commonly linked to regarding the AstraZeneca vaccine?
What is Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (TTS) commonly linked to regarding the AstraZeneca vaccine?
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At what rate does TTS occur among the vaccinated population?
At what rate does TTS occur among the vaccinated population?
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Which demographic is most commonly affected by TTS?
Which demographic is most commonly affected by TTS?
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Which of the following statements about vaccine rollout in India is true?
Which of the following statements about vaccine rollout in India is true?
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Why did several European countries pause the use of AstraZeneca’s vaccine?
Why did several European countries pause the use of AstraZeneca’s vaccine?
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What classification did the WHO include TTS in 2023?
What classification did the WHO include TTS in 2023?
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What was the Indian government's stance regarding Covishield and individuals with low platelet counts?
What was the Indian government's stance regarding Covishield and individuals with low platelet counts?
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How many potential cases of blood clots related to Covishield were reported by the Indian government in May 2021?
How many potential cases of blood clots related to Covishield were reported by the Indian government in May 2021?
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What characterizes thrombocytopenia?
What characterizes thrombocytopenia?
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Study Notes
AstraZeneca Covishield Controversy
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Controversy: AstraZeneca's Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine (Covishield in India) has faced controversy due to rare side effects, specifically Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (TTS).
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TTS (Vaccine-Induced Prothrombotic Immune Thrombocytopenia): A rare immune reaction triggered by adenovirus vectors leading to blood clots (thrombosis) and low platelet count (thrombocytopenia).
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Prevalence: TTS is more common in healthy young women (~30 years old), occurring at a rate of approximately 1-2 cases per 100,000. At the population level, it's estimated at 2-3 cases per million vaccinated individuals.
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India's Use: India administered nearly 1.75 billion doses of Covishield, vaccinating approximately 80% of its vaccinated population.
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Temporary Suspensions: Several European countries, the UK, USA, and Australia temporarily paused Covishield use due to reported TTS cases, although benefits were deemed to outweigh risks.
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WHO Classification: In 2023, the WHO classified Vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT) as a type of TTS.
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India's Response - Concerns: Pre-vaccine rollout, India issued guidelines cautioning against Covishield use in individuals with low platelet counts. In May 2021, 26 potential blood clot cases were reported, (0.61 cases per million doses).
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India's Response - Position: India's government maintained the vaccine's positive benefit-risk profile and that the risk is low. Comparatively, no such reports were seen for indigenous vaccine Covaxin. The risk of blood clots is also noted to be lower in South and Southeast Asians as compared to Europeans.
Oxford-AstraZeneca Vaccine
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Development: Developed by a collaboration between Oxford University and AstraZeneca using a modified chimpanzee adenovirus (ChAdOx1).
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Vaccine Type: Viral vector vaccine containing the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein.
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Components: Contains full-length, codon-optimized SARS-CoV-2 spike protein coding sequence along with a tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) leader sequence.
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Collaboration Partners: Oxford University's Jenner Institute, Vaccitech, Oxford Sciences Innovation, Google Ventures, Sequoia Capital, and others.
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First approvals and Use: The UK issued the first emergency use approval for the vaccine. The first vaccination outside clinical trials occurred on January 4, 2021.
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Company: AstraZeneca, British-Swedish, headquartered in Cambridge.
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Other Reported Side Effects:
- Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) - Blood clots in the brain
- Guillain-Barré syndrome - Immune system disorder affecting nerves
- Myocarditis and pericarditis - Inflammation of heart tissue
AstraZeneca: The Company
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History: Founded in 1999 through the merger of Astra AB (Sweden) and Zeneca Group (UK). Zeneca was itself formed from the pharmaceutical operations of Imperial Chemical Industries.
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Leadership: Michel Dame is Chairman and Pascal Soriot is CEO.
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Description
Explore the complexities surrounding the AstraZeneca Covishield vaccine, particularly regarding the rare side effects of Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (TTS). Learn about the prevalence of TTS among vaccinated individuals and the impact of these concerns on vaccine administration in India. This quiz delves into the temporary suspensions across different countries and the ongoing public health discourse.