Serious Harms Of The COVID-19 Vaccines:
Article Review:
The web page titled "Serious harms of the COVID-19 vaccines: a systematic review" is hosted on the medRxiv platform. The page contains an abstract and information about the study conducted by Peter C Gøtzsche and Maryanne Demasi.
The systematic review analyzed various studies and reported that serious adverse events associated with COVID-19 vaccines have been underreported ( so true)!
It found increased risks of certain adverse events, such as venous thrombosis, thrombocytopenia, myocarditis, and neurological harms.
The authors also have mentioned that serious and severe harms of the vaccines have been ignored or downplayed in some medical journals.
They advocate for further study in this area and suggest that the balance between benefits and harms may be negative in low-risk groups.
Indeed, Vaccines can cause venous thrombosis, and venous thrombosis thrombocytopenia (TTS) syndrome—that has scarcely been discussed.
Thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS) is a clotting disorder that has been associated with certain COVID-19 vaccines, such as the Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca vaccines.
The exact mechanism of how these vaccines might cause TTS is not fully understood, but current evidence suggests an immune response might be involved.
The leading theory is that in some people, the vaccine triggers the immune system to produce antibodies against a protein called platelet factor 4 (PF4).
PF4 is a protein that helps platelets (a type of blood cell that helps in clotting) to aggregate and promote clotting.
When the immune system produces antibodies against PF4, these antibodies can bind to the PF4 proteins and form a complex.
This complex can then activate platelets in the blood, causing them to start forming clots.
This process can lead to a situation where there are both too many clots (thrombosis) and too few platelets (thrombocytopenia) in the blood, leading to the symptoms of TTS.
Scientists from Arizona State University worked with AstraZeneca to investigate vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT), / thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS), a life-threatening condition seen people after receiving the Oxford-AstraZeneca or Johnson & Johnson vaccines.
The global team analyzed the AstraZeneca vaccine in minute detail to understand whether the side effect could be linked to the viral vector.
Their findings suggest it is the viral vector – in this case an adenovirus used to shuttle the coronavirus’ genetic material into cells – and the way it binds to platelet factor 4 (PF4) once injected that could be the potential mechanism.
In certain cases, scientists suggested that the viral vector may enter the bloodstream and bind to PF4, where the immune system then views this complex as foreign.
They believe this misplaced immunity could result in the release of antibodies against PF4, which bind to and activate platelets, causing them to cluster together and triggering blood clots in people after the vaccine is administered.
This mechanism is similar to HIT known as heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT).
Must heparin be used in hospitals since one can develop heparin induced thrombocytopenia?
Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) is an adverse reaction to the drug heparin, a blood thinner often used to prevent clots. It's a paradoxical condition because although heparin is an anticoagulant, HIT increases the risk of blood clots.
It's also critical to identify and treat HIT quickly to reduce the risk of serious complications.
Indeed, the choice of an anticoagulant often depends on several factors. These may include:
1. The specific health condition being treated: Certain anticoagulants might be more effective for certain conditions. For example, warfarin might be preferred for patients with mechanical heart valves, while direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) might be chosen for conditions like atrial fibrillation or venous thromboembolism.
2. Patient’s overall health: This includes considering the patient's age, kidney function, liver function, and presence of other diseases or conditions.
3. Risk of bleeding: All anticoagulants increase the risk of bleeding. The choice might depend on the patient's individual risk of bleeding, which can be influenced by factors like age, history of bleeding, and concurrent use of other medications that increase bleeding risk.
4. Drug interactions: Some anticoagulants can interact with other medications, which can either increase the risk of bleeding or make the anticoagulant less effective.
5. Lifestyle and preference: Some anticoagulants require frequent blood tests and dietary restrictions (like warfarin), while others do not. The patient's lifestyle and preferences might also influence the choice of anticoagulant.
It's important for healthcare professionals to consider all these factors when choosing an anticoagulant to ensure the most effective and safest treatment for each individual patient.
Treating heparin induced thrombocytopenia :
The first and most critical step in treating heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) is stopping the use of heparin. This includes all forms of heparin such as unfractionated heparin, low molecular weight heparin, and heparin-coated catheters.
Once heparin has been discontinued, alternative non-heparin anticoagulants must be used to prevent new blood clots from forming and to stop existing blood clots from growing larger. These include direct thrombin inhibitors or factor Xa inhibitors like fondaparinux.
The choice of anticoagulant can depend on various factors, including the patient's kidney function, other underlying conditions,
In severe cases, where there are large clots causing serious complications, procedures to physically remove the clot (thrombectomy) or to dissolve the clot (thrombolysis) may be needed.
Stacks of theory, with scores of people being vaccine injured… Venous thrombosis, thrombocytopenia, myocarditis, and neurological harms are discussed few and far between…
Credits:,Information sourced from Grok 2
“The adenovirus vector vaccines increased the risk of venous thrombosis and thrombocytopenia, and the mRNA-based vaccines increased the risk of myocarditis, with a mortality of about 1-2 per 200 cases.”