ORLANDO, Florida – The coroner’s office in Miami is investigating the death of a doctor who died about two weeks after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine from Pfizer, officials said on Friday.
In a statement, Pfizer said it was aware of the death, but did not believe there was any direct link 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. Samples from an autopsy performed on Wednesday were sent to the CDC, said Darren Caprara, director of operations for the Miami-Dade County Department of Forensic Medicine.
“The cause of death awaits completion of studies” from the coroner and the CDC, Caprara said by email on Friday.
Pfizer said the doctor died 16 days after receiving the vaccine. The company said it is a “highly unusual” and serious case of a condition that can prevent blood clotting and cause internal bleeding.
“To date, millions of people have been vaccinated and we are closely monitoring all adverse events in individuals receiving our vaccine,” said the statement.
Michael, 56, died on Sunday. He was an obstetrician with a private practice at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach. His wife did not respond to an interview request on Friday.
The CDC said in a statement that it planned to assess the case “and provide timely updates on what is known and any necessary actions”. health professionals and vaccine manufacturers.
It is usually not possible to determine whether a problem was actually triggered by a vaccine simply from the information sent to the database, notes the FDA on its website. The side effects reported to regulators may be related to existing medical conditions, prescription drugs or other health factors.