WHO vaccine safety panel may issue statement on AstraZeneca on Tuesday - spokesman

[March 16, 2021]  GENEVA (Reuters) - A World Health Organization (WHO) panel of experts examining data on Tuesday from use of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine may issue a statement at the end of the day, a WHO spokesman said.

Christian Lindmeier, asked about the WHO global advisory committee on vaccine safety, told a U.N. briefing in Geneva: "We think the committee may issue a statement by the end of the day."

The WHO is reviewing the evidence in close dialogue with the European Medicines Agency, also meeting on Tuesday. The European Union's largest members - Germany, France and Italy - suspended the use of AstraZeneca's vaccine on Monday pending the outcome of an investigation by the bloc's medicines regulator into isolated cases of bleeding, blood clots and low platelet counts.

(Reporting by Stephanie Nebehay; Editing by Catherine Evans)

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