ORLANDO, Florida (AP) – The Miami medical office is studying the death of a doctor who died about two weeks after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine from Pfizer, officials said Friday.
In a statement, Pfizer said it was aware of the death, but did not believe there was any direct connection to the vaccine.
Dr. Gregory Michael’s death is being investigated in conjunction with the Florida Department of Health and the Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Darren Caprara, chief operating officer of the Miami-Dade County Medical Examiners Department, sent samples of an autopsy performed Wednesday at CDC.
“The cause of death is pending completion of studies” by the medical examiner and the CDC, Caprara said in an email Friday.
Pfizer said the doctor died 16 days after receiving a vaccine. The company said it was a “highly unusual” and serious case of a disease that can prevent blood clotting and cause internal bleeding.
“So far, millions of people have been vaccinated and we are closely monitoring all adverse events in the people who receive our vaccine,” the statement said.
Michael, 56, died Sunday. She was an obstetrician with a private practice at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach. His wife did not respond to a request for an interview Friday.
The CDC said in a statement that it planned to assess the case “and provide timely updates on what is known and the actions needed.” The CDC and the Food and Drug Administration track possible side effects through a national electronic database, with reports typically from health professionals and vaccine manufacturers.
It is usually not possible to determine if a problem was caused by a vaccine simply from the information presented in the database, the FDA notes on its website. Side effects reported to regulators may be related to existing medical conditions, prescription drugs, or other health factors.
___
Follow Mike Schneider on Twitter at https://twitter.com/MikeSchneiderAP