FDA researchers find Pfizer COVID vaccine linked to blood clots in people 65, older

Food and Drug Administration researchers have found that the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is linked to higher instances of adverse effects in people ages 65 and older, but still says the benefits of getting shot "outweigh" the potential risks of being infected by the virus.

Using data up to Jan. 15, 2022, the study of more than 25 million people published by Science Direct earlier this month found that 0.06% of people over the age of 65 who receive the Pfizer COVID vaccine develop a pulmonary embolism, or a clot, typically of blood, in the lungs. 

The researchers also noted an increased chance of people over 65 experiencing blood clots, platelet disorders and heart attacks after receiving the Pfizer vaccine.

The FDA "strongly believes the potential benefits of COVID-19 vaccination outweigh the potential risks of COVID-19 infection," the researchers wrote. "Per FDA communication of these findings, FDA is currently not taking any regulatory actions based on these signal detection activities because these signals are still under investigation and require more robust study."