ORLANDO, Florida – The Miami medical office is examining the death of a doctor who died about two weeks after receiving the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, officials said Friday.
In a statement, Pfizer said he 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. Autopsy samples on Wednesday were sent to the CDC, said Darren Caprara, director of operations for the Miami-Dade County Medical Examination Department.
“The cause of death is awaiting completion of studies” by the coroner and the CDC, Caprara said in an email on Friday.
Pfizer said the doctor died 16 days after receiving a vaccine. The company said it was an “extremely unusual” and severe case of a condition that could prevent blood from clotting and cause internal bleeding.
“So far, millions of people have been vaccinated and we are closely monitoring all adverse events in people receiving the vaccine,” the statement said.
Michael, 56, died 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 on Friday.
The CDC said in a statement that it intends to assess the case “and provide timely updates on what is known and any action needed.” The CDC and the Food and Drug Administration track potential side effects through a national electronic database, with reports that usually come from healthcare professionals and vaccine manufacturers.
It is usually not possible to determine whether a problem was actually triggered by a vaccine simply from the information provided 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.