Related: Europe divided on AstraZeneca vaccine after regulators find link to rare blood clots
The UK’s decision this week to stop giving the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine to under-30s underlined the risks from medications and medical procedures.
It came after health authorities in at least six European countries restricted the shot to those above a certain age, varying by country from 55 to 70 years.
Regulators emphasise that the dangers of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) blood clots in the brain are small and, for most, far outweighed by the threats from Covid-19.
If the risk is something like one in 250,000, it's a small risk, but obviously a tragedy for those involved
Up to the end of March in the UK there were thought to have been 79 cases of CVST from 20 million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, 19 of which were fatal.
This gives a blood clot risk of about one in 250,000 and a risk of death of about one in a million – about the same, reports said, as a 400-kilometre car journey.
“If the risk is something like one in 250,000, it’s a small risk, but obviously a tragedy for those involved,” said Prof David Taylor, professor emeritus of pharmaceutical and public health policy at University College London. But how does it compare with the risk of having surgery?
Surgery
Risks from surgery are balanced against risks from not having an operation, which for some patients can be very high.
Surgery in which the heart has to be stopped is more dangerous, but even operations such as tonsil removal can prove fatal. A 2019 study found that, globally, 4.2 million people each year die within 30 days of surgery.
Abdominal gastrointestinal surgery to combat obesity carries a 1 per cent risk of death, according to the UK's National Health Service, with fatalities normally the result of a blood clot in the lungs or a gastrointestinal leak.
Painkillers
"Painkillers kill about 2,000 people a year in the UK alone if you take the cardiovascular risk and everything else into account," Prof Taylor said.
That figure is from a report by Swiss and British researchers highlighting potential dangers from medications such as ibuprofen and aspirin. Such non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can cause complications, including gastrointestinal bleeding.
Work from 2014 found these drugs cause an 80 per cent increase in blood clots in the veins, which can travel to the heart or lungs and may be fatal.
Antibiotics
These spark an allergic reaction in about one in 15 people taking them, the UK’s National Health Service said, and while such reactions are usually mild, anaphylactic shock can prove fatal.
Antibiotics cause about 40 per cent of fatal drug-induced anaphylaxis, with substances given to help medical diagnosis (such as radiocontrast agents, which show up structures on X-rays) and anaesthetics causing much of the rest.
Between 1999 and 2010, about 1,445 people died in the US because of anaphylaxis caused by a drug, and rates over that period doubled.
Anaphylaxis is a severe allergic reaction to venom, food, or medication
The contraceptive pill
Oral contraceptives taken by women to prevent pregnancy are associated with an increase in potentially fatal blood clots.
The National Blood Clot Alliance in the US estimates that among women on birth control pills, about 1 in 1,000 a year will suffer a blood clot. Figures from Scotland put the figure at about half this. The BBC worked out that the contraceptive pill resulted in a sixfold increase in CVST blood clots, while a 2015 study suggested there was a 7.59-fold increase. The coronavirus vaccine (based on BBC calculations using data from European regulators) causes a ninefold increase.
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RACE CARD
6.30pm Maiden Dh165,000 (Dirt) 1,200
7.05pm Handicap Dh165,000 (D) 1,600m
7.40pm Maiden Dh165,000 (D) 1,600m
8.15pm Handicap Dh190,000 (D) 1,600m
8.50pm Handicap Dh175,000 (D) 1,400m
9.25pm Handicap Dh175,000 (D) 2,000m
The National selections:
6.30pm Underwriter
7.05pm Rayig
7.40pm Torno Subito
8.15pm Talento Puma
8.50pm Etisalat
9.25pm Gundogdu
SQUADS
India
Virat Kohli (captain), Rohit Sharma (vice-captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Manish Pandey, Kedar Jadhav, Dinesh Karthik, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (wicketkeeper), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Shardul Thakur
New Zealand
Kane Williamson (captain), Martin Guptill, Colin Munro, Ross Taylor, Tom Latham (wicketkeeper), Henry Nicholls, Ish Sodhi, George Worker, Glenn Phillips, Matt Henry, Colin de Grandhomme, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Adam Milne, Trent Boult
The Dictionary of Animal Languages
Heidi Sopinka
Scribe
Going grey? A stylist's advice
If you’re going to go grey, a great style, well-cared for hair (in a sleek, classy style, like a bob), and a young spirit and attitude go a long way, says Maria Dowling, founder of the Maria Dowling Salon in Dubai.
It’s easier to go grey from a lighter colour, so you may want to do that first. And this is the time to try a shorter style, she advises. Then a stylist can introduce highlights, start lightening up the roots, and let it fade out. Once it’s entirely grey, a purple shampoo will prevent yellowing.
“Get professional help – there’s no other way to go around it,” she says. “And don’t just let it grow out because that looks really bad. Put effort into it: properly condition, straighten, get regular trims, make sure it’s glossy.”
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Zayed Sustainability Prize
How it works
Booklava works on a subscription model. On signing up you receive a free book as part of a 30-day-trial period, after which you pay US$9.99 (Dh36.70) per month to gain access to a library of books and discounts of up to 30 per cent on selected titles. You can cancel your subscription at any time. For more details go to www.booklava.com
The specs: 2018 Ford F-150
Price, base / as tested: Dh173,250 / Dh178,500
Engine: 5.0-litre V8
Power: 395hp @ 5,000rpm
Torque: 555Nm @ 2,750rpm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 12.4L / 100km
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
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RESULTS
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,200m
Winner: Shafaf, Sam Hitchcott (jockey), Ahmed Al Mehairbi (trainer)
5,30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,200m
Winner: Noof KB, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
6pm: The President’s Cup Listed (TB) Dh380,000 1,400m
Winner: Taamol, Jim Crowley, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
6.30pm: The President’s Cup Group One (PA) Dh2,500,000 2,200m
Winner: Rmmas, Tadhg O’Shea, Jean de Roualle
7pm: Arabian Triple Crown Listed (PA) Dh230,000 1,600m
Winner: Ihtesham, Szczepan Mazur, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
7.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m
Winner: AF Mekhbat, Antonio Fresu, Ernst Oertel
