Reports of suspected adverse reactions to COVID-19 vaccines in Switzerland – update 20

Bern, 17.12.2021 - Up to 14 December 2021, Swissmedic evaluated 10,842 reports on suspected adverse drug reactions to COVID-19 vaccinations that occured wit a temporal link to the vaccinations. At 6,915 (64 %), most of the reports were classified as not serious, while 3,927 (36 %) reports were classified as serious.

About half of the reports were submitted by medical professionals, while 5,478 or 50.5 % came directly from those affected, i.e. the patients.

The average age of those affected was 52 years, with 13.1% aged 75 or over. In the cases classified as serious, the average age was 54.5 years, and for reports temporally linked to a death it was 79.7 years.

In 178 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. 7,426 (68.5%) reports involve Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine Spikevax® (for approx. 64% of the vaccine doses administered – this is the most widely used COVID-19 vaccine in Switzerland), while 3,141 (29 %) are associated with Pfizer/BioNTech’s Comirnaty® (approx. 36% administered vaccine doses).

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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