AstraZeneca, $AZN, withdrawing Covid vaccine, months after admitting rare side effect.
The Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid vaccine is being withdrawn globally, following the pharmaceutical company's admission in court documents that it can cause a rare and dangerous side effect.
The vaccine is no longer authorized for use in the European Union, as the company has voluntarily withdrawn its marketing authorization. This withdrawal application was submitted on March 5 and took effect on Tuesday.
Similar applications will be submitted in the UK and other countries that had previously approved the vaccine, known as Vaxzevria.
This decision marks the end of the vaccine's use, which was previously praised by Boris Johnson as a "triumph for British science" and credited with saving over six million lives.
AstraZeneca stated that the vaccine is being withdrawn from markets for commercial reasons. It clarified that the vaccine is no longer being produced or supplied, as it has been replaced by updated vaccines that target new variants.
Vaxzevria has faced scrutiny due to a very rare side effect causing blood clots and low blood platelet counts. AstraZeneca acknowledged in court documents filed with the High Court in February that the vaccine "can, in very rare cases, cause TTS."
TTS, or Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome, has been associated with at least 81 deaths in the UK, as well as numerous serious injuries. AstraZeneca is facing lawsuits from over 50 alleged victims and their families in a High Court case.
