AstraZeneca Pulls COVID-19 Vaccine from Global Market, Blames Business Decisions

AstraZeneca withdraws its COVID-19 vaccine worldwide due to rare side effects, citing commercial reasons. Learn more about the decision and its implications.

AstraZeneca, the big drug company behind one of the COVID-19 vaccines, is pulling its vaccine from shelves everywhere. They’re doing this because they finally admitted in court documents that it can sometimes cause a really rare but dangerous side effect. This news was reported by ‘The Telegraph’, a British newspaper.

AstraZeneca says they’re taking the vaccine off the market for business reasons. They’re saying it’s not needed anymore because there are newer vaccines out there that work better against the new variants of the virus.

They officially applied to stop selling the vaccine on March 5, and the decision took effect on May 7. That means it can’t be used in the European Union anymore because AstraZeneca decided to stop selling it there. They’re planning to do the same in the UK and other countries that allowed the vaccine, which is called Vaxzevria.

This vaccine, Vaxzevria, has been in hot water lately because of a really rare side effect. It can cause blood clots and low platelet counts. AstraZeneca admitted in court that this side effect, known as Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (TTS), can happen, although very rarely. There have been at least 81 deaths and hundreds of serious injuries linked to this side effect in the UK. Some people affected and their families are suing AstraZeneca over this.

AstraZeneca says that pulling the vaccine has nothing to do with this lawsuit or admitting that it can cause TTS. They say it’s just a coincidence. They’re proud of the role their vaccine played in fighting the pandemic and saving millions of lives. According to them, over 6.5 million lives were saved in the first year alone, and they supplied over three billion doses worldwide.

They also mentioned that because there are now many other COVID-19 vaccines available, the demand for theirs has gone down. So, they’re stopping production and taking it off the market in Europe. They’re working with regulators and partners to figure out what to do next.

Despite all this, AstraZeneca is still standing by the safety of their vaccine. They say they’re committed to patient safety and that regulatory agencies around the world still think the benefits of getting vaccinated outweigh the risks of these extremely rare side effects.

Also Read: Pumping Iron for Your Brain: How Exercise Boosts Mental Fitness