AstraZeneca Withdraws Covid-19 Vaccine Citing Decline In Demand After Admitting To ‘Rare’ Side Effects
AstraZeneca has begun the process of withdrawing the Covid-19 vaccine worldwide citing a "surplus of available updated vaccines," per 'The Guardian.'
On May 7, the European Medicines Agency announced that Vaxzevria — previously Covid-19 vaccine AstraZeneca, is no longer authorized for use, per the news outlet. The demand for the product declined after newer vaccines became available to target Covid-19 variants, leading to a halt in manufacturing and supply demand.
"According to independent estimates, over 6.5 million lives were saved in the first year of use alone and over 3bn doses were supplied globally," they said in a statement, per the news outlet. "Our efforts have been recognised by governments around the world and are widely regarded as being a critical component of ending the global pandemic. We will now work with regulators and our partners to align on a clear path forward to conclude this chapter and significant contribution to the Covid-19 pandemic."
AstraZeneca admitted in court documents for the first time ever that the Covid vaccine can cause a rare and dangerous side effect. Per 'The Daily Telegraph,' the pharmaceutical company faced a class-action lawsuit in April over claims that the product caused serious injuries and even death.
The news outlet reported the legal scandal — which claims that the product causes a deadly condition called TTS, Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome, causing people to have blood clots and a low blood platelet count — paved the way for a multi-million dollar payout.
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A legal document submitted to the High Court in February, AstraZeneca stated: "It is admitted that the AZ vaccine can, in very rare cases, cause TTS. The causal mechanism is not known. Further, TTS can also occur in the absence of the AZ vaccine (or any vaccine). Causation in any individual case will be a matter for expert evidence."
Lawyers reportedly made the argument that the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine is "defective" and claimed its efficacy has been "vastly overstated." The pharmaceutical company denies those claims.
