Adults who received at least one dose of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine die significantly less often than others—both from coronavirus infection and overall—according to a new French study. The study involved 28 million French adults aged 18 to 59.

According to the findings, vaccinated individuals have a 74% lower risk of death from severe COVID-19 and a 25% lower risk of death from all other causes, Euronews reports. Researchers believe that the reduced risk of death is partly explained by strong protection against severe disease: vaccinated adults are far less likely to die from this infection.

Scientists also suggested that a lower number of complications associated with long COVID may contribute to the overall reduction in mortality.

The study was conducted by Epi-Phare, a scientific interest group overseen by France’s National Agency for the Safety of Medicines and Health Products (ANSM) and the French National Health Insurance Fund. The team concluded that a causal link between mRNA vaccination and excess long-term mortality now appears highly unlikely.

This is the largest study to date examining the long-term safety of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines in the general adult population.

The authors found no increase in mortality from cancer, cardiovascular disease, accidental injuries, or any other major causes; in every category, mortality among vaccinated individuals was equal to or lower than among the unvaccinated.

According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), as of February 2023 more than 976 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines had been administered in the European Union. Since then, vaccination programs have continued, with tens of millions of additional doses given each season.