AstraZeneca Withdraws COVID Vaccine Worldwide Following Rare Side Effect Report

AstraZeneca's acknowledgement of the vaccine's rare side effects follows a class-action lawsuit in the UK

According to AstraZeneca, the decision to withdraw the vaccine has nothing to do with the ongoing legal actions. (Representational image: Wikimedia commons)

AstraZeneca, the pharmaceutical giant, has announced the global withdrawal of its COVID-19 vaccine, Vaxzevria, due to commercial reasons. The decision comes in the wake of reported rare side effects associated with the vaccine, including thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS), a condition characterized by blood clots and low blood platelet counts.

The vaccine, developed in collaboration with Oxford University and produced by the Serum Institute of India under the name Covishield, has been in use across more than 150 countries, including the UK and India. However, recent revelations of potential severe side effects have led to the global suspension of the company's production and distribution.

AstraZeneca's acknowledgement of the vaccine's rare side effects follows a class-action lawsuit in the UK. Some complainants claimed the vaccination caused fatalities and severe damage. The manufacturer admitted in court filings that the vaccine may, in extremely rare circumstances, result in TTS, though the exact cause is still unknown.

According to independent estimates, over 6.5 million lives were saved in the first year of use alone and over three billion doses were supplied globally. As multiple, variant Covid-19 vaccines have since been developed, there is a surplus of available updated vaccines

AstraZeneca

Despite AstraZeneca's assurance of the vaccine's safety and efficacy based on extensive clinical trial data and real-world evidence. (Representational image: Wikimedia commons)JOEL RODRIGUES

According to AstraZeneca, the decision to withdraw the vaccine has nothing to do with the ongoing legal actions. Rather, the business cites a drop in Vaxzevria demand as a result of the availability of other vaccinations that target different COVID-19 mutations.

The authorisation of the anti-Covid vaccine Vaxzevria by AstraZeneca will be withdrawn and the process has already officially started with the European Commission

Marco Cavaleri, European Medicines Agency

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has confirmed the withdrawal of Vaxzevria's marketing authorization in the European Union. AstraZeneca initiated the application for withdrawal on March 5, and it came into effect on May 7. This action is in line with predictions that more recent vaccinations will gradually replace older ones that were intended to combat the virus's original strain.

Despite AstraZeneca's assurance of the vaccine's safety and efficacy based on extensive clinical trial data and real-world evidence, concerns over rare side effects persist. Reports indicate that TTS has been linked to at least 81 deaths in the UK, causing legal action and news coverage.

A very rare adverse event called Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome, involving unusual and severe blood clotting events associated with low platelet counts, has been reported after vaccination with this vaccine

World Health Organization (WHO)

In response to safety concerns, regulatory bodies and health authorities worldwide have been monitoring the situation closely. The World Health Organization (WHO) has acknowledged the occurrence of TTS as a very rare adverse event associated with the AstraZeneca vaccine.

(Input from various media sources)

(Rehash/ Susmita Bhandary)

AstraZeneca Admits Covishield Can Cause Rare Side Effects

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