Covishield Maker AstraZeneca To Withdraw Its Covid-19 Vaccine Globally
The vaccine was produced as Covishield in India by Serum Institute of India.
AstraZeneca has initiated a global withdrawal of its Covid-19 vaccine days after the company admitted in court that the jab can cause a rare side effect. The vaccine, co-developed by Oxford University and the British pharmaceutical major, was produced as Covishield in India by Serum Institute of India.
AstraZeneca said it is removing the vaccine, called Vaxzevria, due to commercial reasons as it has been "superseded by updated vaccines that tackle new variants", according to a company statement cited by the Telegraph.
The company voluntarily withdrew its marketing authorisation for the vaccine in the European Union, effective Tuesday, the report said. Following the move, the medication can no longer be administered in the bloc. The company will file similar applications in the UK and other countries where its Covid vaccine is in circulation.
In February, AstraZeneca had admitted in court documents that its Covid vaccine may lead to a side effect that causes blood-clot formation and a decrease in blood platelet count.
A class-action lawsuit has been filed against the pharmaceutical company over allegations that its vaccine led to death and severe injuries in numerous instances, the Telegraph had reported.
The initial lawsuit was filed last year by Jamie Scott, who suffered a permanent brain injury after experiencing a blood clot and brain hemorrhage following his vaccination in April 2021.
AstraZeneca is disputing the allegations but acknowledged in a legal filing that its Covid vaccine "can, in very rare cases, cause TTS" — Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome.
In a letter of response sent in May 2023, AstraZeneca informed Scott's lawyers that they do not accept the assertion that TTS is caused by the vaccine on a generic level.
However, in a legal document submitted to the high court in February, AstraZeneca said: "It is admitted that the AZ vaccine can, in very rare cases, cause TTS. The causal mechanism is not known."
"Further, TTS can also occur in the absence of the AZ vaccine (or any vaccine). Causation in any individual case will be a matter for expert evidence," it said.
Following the disclosure, a plea was filed in the Supreme Court for the formation of an expert panel to examine the side effects and risk factors associated with the Covishield vaccine. The plea, filed by advocate Vishal Tiwari, seeks to nudge the top court to issue directions to the Union government regarding the establishment of a vaccine damage payment system for those citizens who got severely affected as a result of the vaccination drive during Covid-19.
