The EMA did not block AstraZeneca

The suspension of the administration of AstraZeneca was an all-Italian mistake: a political choice by AIFA and the government, after consultations with some European partners, following the decision by Germany to stop using the vaccine due to a handful of adverse thromboembolic events . Yet in the traditional style of those who do not want to take on or seek responsibility, media and politicians continue to spread a legend: it was EMA, the European Medicines Agency, i.e. the European Union or Brussels, that suspended AstraZeneca and therefore slowed down the pace of an already delayed vaccination campaign. The climax was reached Thursday after the EMA Pharmacovigilance Committee confirmed for the umpteenth time that the AstraZeneca vaccine is effective and safe. The transmission “A clean sweep” aired an Index Research survey with the question “In recent days Ema suspended AstraZeneca. Quite right?”. The governor of Lazio, Nicola Zingaretti, announced via Twitter that “after Ema, Aifa also unlocks the vaccine”. The leader of the League, Matteo Salvini, wrote that “other errors on the part of Brussels are not tolerable: we await the dismissal of all those who made mistakes”. All false. The EMA has never blocked anything. On the contrary, after the suspension of Germany, he called on individual countries to move forward because “the benefits far outweigh the risks”. Whether it is in good faith (ignorance) or in bad faith (the EU as a scapegoat for its mistakes) a part of the political class demonstrates its inadequacy. But Salvini is involuntarily right. Whoever made a mistake in Italy should explain why. And if the error of excessive precaution is considered serious, because it has fueled the vaccine reticence, it should step aside. It is called responsibility and in this dramatic pandemic it is the least that can be expected.