Pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca has announced a global withdrawal of its Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, known as Vaxzevria, after acknowledging in court that the vaccine could cause rare but serious side effects.
The decision comes months after the company admitted for the first time in court documents that the vaccine could lead to Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (TTS), a condition involving blood clots and low blood platelet counts.
AstraZeneca voluntarily withdrew its marketing authorization for Vaxzevria in the European Union, with the withdrawal taking effect on Tuesday following an application made on March 5, the Telegraph reported.
Despite the timing, AstraZeneca insists that the decision to pull the vaccine from the market was based on commercial reasons, specifically citing declining demand due to the availability of newer vaccines designed to combat emerging variants.
The company has faced intense scrutiny and legal challenges due to the side effects associated with Vaxzevria. In a landmark case currently before the High Court, AstraZeneca is being sued by over 50 individuals and families of victims who allege that the vaccine caused deaths and serious injuries.
The Gateway Pundit has covered numerous reports related to the side effects linked to AstraZeneca.
In a statement, AstraZeneca expressed pride in the role Vaxzevria played during the pandemic, noting that independent estimates suggest the vaccine saved over 6.5 million lives in its first year of use and that over three billion doses were supplied globally. The company highlighted the shift towards vaccines targeting new variants as a primary reason for the discontinuation of Vaxzevria production and distribution.
“We are incredibly proud of the role Vaxzevria played in ending the global pandemic,” the company stated. “As multiple, variant COVID-19 vaccines have since been developed, there is a surplus of available updated vaccines. This has led to a decline in demand for Vaxzevria, which is no longer being manufactured or supplied.”