AstraZeneca Withdraws COVID-1Vaccine Globally Citing Commercial Reasons
Ayaz Mughal
AstraZeneca Withdraws COVID-1Vaccine Globally Citing Commercial Reasons
London, May 8, 2024: -AstraZeneca announced today the worldwide withdrawal of its COVID-19 vaccine, developed in collaboration with the University of Oxford. The company attributed the decision to "commercial reasons," stating that newer vaccines are better equipped to handle emerging variants. This news comes just weeks after AstraZeneca acknowledged a potential link between their vaccine and rare blood clots. The company is currently facing a class-action lawsuit from individuals alleging the vaccine caused serious injuries and death, including a condition known as TTS (Thrombosis with
Thrombocytopenia Syndrome). AstraZeneca maintains that the withdrawal is unrelated to the lawsuit and that their vaccine met all safety standards. They emphasized patient safety as their top priority.
Key Points:
AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine is no longer being produced or distributed.
The withdrawal is global, including the European Union where marketing authorization was withdrawn.
Lawsuits claim the vaccine caused TTS, a blood clotting condition.
AstraZeneca denies these claims and emphasizes their commitment to patient safety.
The long-term impact of this withdrawal remains to be seen. It's unclear how it will affect vaccination efforts in low-and-middle-income countries where the AstraZeneca vaccine, known as Covishield, was widely distributed.
