Reports of suspected adverse reactions to COVID-19 vaccines in Switzerland – update

Bern, 15.10.2021 - Up to 12 October 2021, Swissmedic evaluated 8,757 reports on suspected adverse drug reactions to COVID-19 vaccinations that occured wit a temporal link to the vaccinations. At 5,779 (66 %), most of the reports were classified as not serious, while 2,978 (34 %) reports were classified as serious.

About half of the reports were submitted by medical professionals, while 4,206 or 48 % came directly from those affected, i.e. the patients.

The average age of those affected was 53.3 years, with 14.7% aged 75 or over. In the cases classified as serious, the average age was 56.1 years, and for reports temporally linked to a death it was 79.8 years. In 150 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.  6,021 (68.8%) reports involve Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine Spikevax® (for approx. 66% of the vaccine doses administered - this is the most widely used COVID-19 vaccine in Switzerland), while 2,578 (29.4%) are associated with Pfizer/BioNTech's Comirnaty® (approx. 34% administered vaccine doses). In 158 (1.8%) 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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https://www.admin.ch/content/gov/en/start/documentation/media-releases.msg-id-85473.html