AstraZeneca Withdraws Its Covid-19 Vaccine Globally
AstraZeneca has decided to discontinue its Covid-19 vaccine globally due to an excess of updated vaccines available for the latest virus variants.
The company explained that newer vaccines targeting Covid-19 variants have led to decreased demand for AstraZeneca’s product.
Previously, AstraZeneca withdrew its European Union marketing authorization for its vaccine, known as Vaxzevria, in 2021.
The marketing authorization allows a drug to be sold in EU member states.
The company’s application for withdrawal from the European Union market was submitted on March 5 and became effective on May 7.
According to the European Medicines Agency, the vaccine is no longer approved for use.
AstraZeneca renamed its Covid vaccine to Vaxzevria in 2021.
The vaccine was approved for use in individuals 18 and older and was given in two doses, typically three months apart, injected into the upper arm.
To end the pandemic, scientists at the University of Oxford developed the Covid-19 vaccine in record time.
In a statement, AstraZeneca stated that over 6.5 million lives were saved in the first year of using the vaccine, based on independent estimates.
“Our work has been recognized worldwide as a crucial part of ending the global pandemic,” AstraZeneca said.
Africa was one of the major consumers of the vaccine, with Ghana receiving 1.5 million doses in September 2021.
This is according to an official report from Ghana’s Ministry of Health.
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An article in The Telegraph revealed that AstraZeneca admitted the vaccine, initially called Covishield, could cause rare side effects such as blood clots and low blood platelet counts.
This acknowledgment followed a class action lawsuit in the UK, which claimed the vaccine had caused deaths and serious injuries, seeking damages up to £100 million (Sh16.3 billion) for about 50 victims.
AstraZeneca confirmed in February court documents that the vaccine could, in rare cases, lead to thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS), a condition involving blood clots and low blood platelet counts.
The vaccine, developed in partnership with Oxford University and manufactured by the Serum Institute of India, was distributed in over 150 countries, including the UK and India.
Initial studies during the pandemic showed the vaccine’s effectiveness in protecting against COVID-19 was between 60% and 80%, but later research found a risk of deadly blood clots.
AstraZeneca’s acknowledgment contradicted its earlier stance in 2023 when it claimed that TTS was not caused by the vaccine generally.
In April 2021, the World Health Organization (WHO) also confirmed the vaccine’s potentially lethal side effects, mentioning reports of thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome following vaccination.
In response, AstraZeneca expressed pride in the role Vaxzevria played in fighting the pandemic, noting that more than 6.5 million lives were saved in the first year of its use alone, and over three billion doses were distributed globally.
AstraZeneca Withdraws Its Covid-19 Vaccine Globally
