I think dodgy is overstating it a bit. It's clear from the data in multiple trials and post-rollout studies that AZ vaccine is very safe and somewhat to very effective. There is a lack of gold-standard double-blind trial data to nail down answers to specific questions about efficacy, but given current overwhelming evidence of saftey and the raging pandemic it's entirely reasonable for e.g. MHRA to approve rollout.
The main question that seems to remain is effectiveness in over 65s. Essentially not enough older people became sick in either arm of the trials (e.g. due to lockdown) to make any conclusion. However there is definitely indirect data (antibody titres) to infer that efficacy is not reduced in older population.
The main question that seems to remain is effectiveness in over 65s. Essentially not enough older people became sick in either arm of the trials (e.g. due to lockdown) to make any conclusion. However there is definitely indirect data (antibody titres) to infer that efficacy is not reduced in older population.