AstraZeneca has initiated a global withdrawal of the COVID-19 vaccine days after the pharmaceutical company reported that the vaccine can cause some side effects. The vaccine, which was collaboratively developed with Oxford University, was produced in India by the Serum Institute under the name Covishield.
According to The Telegraph, the vaccine developer said that the withdrawal was initiated due to commercial reasons due to a “surplus of available updated vaccines” for COVID-19. AstraZeneca said that their vaccine was superseded by updated vaccines that can tackle newer variants of COVID-19.
Reports said that the company voluntarily withdrew its “marketing authorisation” in the European Union and added that the vaccine was not being produced anymore and will no longer be used. Withdrawals in the countries that have been using the vaccine have also been initiated.
AstraZeneca is facing a 100 million pound lawsuit in the United Kingdom due to claims that the COVID-19 vaccine caused deaths and injuries to several recipients. In February, the pharmaceutical company said in one of the court documents that Covishield “in very rare cases, causes TTS or Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome.” TTS can cause blood clots and result in lower blood platelets.
However, the pharmaceutical company denied that the decision to withdraw the vaccine was linked to the court case. A statement from AstraZeneca said, “As multiple, variant Covid-19 vaccines have since been developed, there is a surplus of available updated vaccines.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.”