Reports of suspected adverse reactions to COVID-19 vaccines in Switzerland – update
Bern, 03.09.2021 - Up to 1 September 2021, Swissmedic evaluated 6.603 reports on suspected adverse drug reactions (ADR) to COVID-19 vaccinations in Switzerland. The majority of the reports involved more than one reaction. At 4,442 (67.3 %), most of the reports were classified as not serious, while 2,161 (32.7 %) reports were classified as serious.
Most of the reports were submitted by medical professionals, while a relatively large number (2,644, or 40 %) came directly from those affected, i.e. the patients. The average age of those affected was 55.5 years (range 0,25–101), with 18,1% aged 75 or over. In the cases classified as serious, the average age was 59,2 years, and for reports temporally linked to a death it was 80.3 years. In 137 serious cases, the people concerned died at differing intervals after receiving the vaccine. Despite a chronological correlation, there is no concrete evidence to suggest that the vaccination was the cause of death.
The majority of the reports concerned women and there were a few cases where no gender was specified. 4,298 (65.1 %) reports involve Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine, while 2,191 (33.2 %) are associated with Pfizer/BioNTech’s Comirnaty®. In 114 (1.7%) cases, the vaccine was not specified.
The reports of adverse reactions received and analysed to date do not alter the positive benefit-risk profile of the COVID-19 vaccines used in Switzerland. This largely confirms their known side effects profile. Known side effects of COVID-19 vaccines are listed in the continually updated medicinal product information texts published on www.swissmedicinfo.ch.
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