Thread by @postpolionews

Why experts say there is no basis to claims in #Germany about #efficacy of #AstraZeneca vaccine | @NicolaKSDavis @philipoltermann @guardian bit.ly/2LZEMoa #SARSCoV2 #COVID19 #PublicHealth #GlobalHealth #MHRA #EMA @adamhfinn @MartinRCGP @ProfDFreeman @MHRAgovuk @EMA_News

1/ According to the MHRA, @MHRAgovuk , for the AstraZeneca vaccine, "Elderly population Efficacy and safety data are currently limited in individuals greater than or equal to 65 years of age (see sections 4.8 and 5.1)".

2/ See MHRA AstraZeneca document "REG 174 INFORMATION FOR UK HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS" bit.ly/3qXLBVN

3/ The corresponding MHRA statement for the Pfizer/BioNTech gives efficacy figures for"participants 65 years of age and older and 75 years of age and older".

4/ "In participants 65 years of age and older and 75 years of age and older without evidence of prior infections with SARS-CoV-2, efficacy of COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine BNT162b2 was 94.7% (two-sided 95% confidence interval of 66.7% to 99.9%)

5/ and 100% (two-sided 95% confidence interval of -13.1% to 100.0%) respectively.

See MHRA Pfizer/BioNTech document "REG 174 INFORMATION FOR UK HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS" bit.ly/2Nt1FR1

6/ I have been aware of these two reports since they were published and as a 71-year-old Polio Survivor, I was inclined to prefer the Pfizer/BioNTech given the MHRA's reports of the trial data but would, of course, accept whatever was offered. Still waiting!

7/ However, analysing vaccine trial data is way beyond my level of expertise. What I need, and I suspect we all need, is some honest expert comparative analysis, not "reassurance" without the hard evidence to back it up.

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