Adults who received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine have a lower risk of death, regardless of the cause, according to a new study conducted in France. The research shows that individuals vaccinated with at least one mRNA COVID-19 dose had a reduced risk of mortality compared with those who remained unvaccinated.
The study examined 28 million French adults aged 18 to 59 and tracked outcomes over a median period of 45 months. Researchers found that vaccinated individuals had a 74 percent lower risk of dying from severe COVID-19 and a 25 percent lower risk of death from all causes. The protective effect was attributed not only to the vaccines’ strong defense against severe infection but also to fewer complications related to long COVID, which may contribute to overall mortality reduction.
The research was conducted by Epi-Phare, a scientific interest group overseen by the French National Agency for Medicines and Health Products Safety (ANSM), in collaboration with the French National Health Insurance Fund. The team analysed data from the French National Health Data System, comparing 22.7 million people vaccinated between May and October 2021 with 5.9 million unvaccinated individuals as of November 1, 2021.
During the follow-up period, 98,429 deaths from all causes (0.4 percent) occurred among vaccinated participants, compared with 32,662 deaths (0.6 percent) among the unvaccinated. The study found no evidence of increased mortality from cancer, cardiovascular disease, accidental injury, or any other major cause. In every category, vaccinated individuals had equal or lower death rates than their unvaccinated counterparts.
Researchers concluded that a causal link between mRNA vaccination and excess long-term mortality appears highly unlikely, underscoring the safety and efficacy of the vaccines.
The study is the largest to date assessing the long-term safety of COVID-19 mRNA vaccines in the general adult population. The findings, however, are limited to adults under 60 and do not directly reflect outcomes for older populations, who face the highest risk from COVID-19.
In the European Union, more than 976 million COVID-19 vaccine doses had been administered as of February 2023, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). Vaccination programs have continued, with tens of millions of additional booster doses given each season.
The research provides robust evidence supporting the long-term benefits of COVID-19 vaccination in reducing deaths from the virus and other causes. Public health experts say the findings may reassure vaccine-hesitant individuals and reinforce the importance of ongoing vaccination efforts, particularly among younger adults who may perceive their risk from COVID-19 as low.
This study adds to a growing body of international research demonstrating that mRNA COVID-19 vaccines are both safe and effective, offering protection not only against severe illness but also against overall mortality in the adult population.
