The Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID vaccine is being withdrawn worldwide after the pharmaceutical giant admitted for the first time that it can cause a rare and dangerous side effect, News About Nigeria reports.
The decision, announced on Tuesday, marks the end of the vaccine’s use in the European Union and will soon extend to other countries, including the UK.
AstraZeneca voluntarily withdrew the vaccine’s “marketing authorisation” from the European Union, a process initiated on March 5 and finalised on Tuesday.
Similar applications for withdrawal will be made in countries that have previously approved the vaccine, known as Vaxzevria.
The vaccine’s withdrawal comes amid scrutiny over its rare side effect, Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (TTS), which causes blood clots and low blood platelet counts.
AstraZeneca admitted in court documents that the vaccine can cause TTS, which has been linked to at least 81 deaths in the UK and hundreds of serious injuries.
Despite the admission, AstraZeneca insists the decision to withdraw the vaccine is not linked to the court case or its acknowledgment of the side effects.
The company attributes the withdrawal to commercial reasons, stating that updated vaccines targeting new variants have superseded Vaxzevria, leading to a decline in demand.
In a statement, AstraZeneca expressed pride in the role Vaxzevria played in combating the pandemic but noted the surplus of updated vaccines available.
The company pledged to work with regulators to conclude the withdrawal process and reiterated its commitment to addressing the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a statement, the company said, “We are incredibly proud of the role Vaxzevria played in ending the global pandemic. 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.
“Our efforts have been recognised by governments around the world and are widely regarded as being a critical component of ending the global pandemic.”
