Report: AstraZeneca to halt global distribution of Covid vaccine due to safety concerns

Amid safety concerns over AstraZeneca’s Covid vaccine Covishield and Vaxzevria, the pharmaceutical giant has taken a bold step by initiating the withdrawal of its Vaxzevria vaccine globally. According to a report by The Telegraph, AstraZeneca cited a surplus of available updated vaccines and a decline in demand as the reasons for this move.

The company’s application to withdraw the Vaxzevria vaccine was made on March 5 and came into effect on May 7. Additionally, AstraZeneca also withdrew marketing authorization for the vaccine within Europe, as reported by Reuters.

This decision comes on the heels of AstraZeneca admitting in a legal document that its Covid vaccines can, in very rare cases, cause Thrombosis Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (TTS) – a rare syndrome characterized by blood clots and low platelet counts. Despite this, the company maintains that extensive clinical trial data and real-world evidence consistently support the vaccine’s safety and efficacy, with patient safety being their highest priority.

However, AstraZeneca is facing legal challenges, with a class action lawsuit filed against its Covid-19 vaccines alleging several deaths worldwide. The company has acknowledged in court papers that its Covid vaccine, Covishield, can cause rare side effects. The Supreme Court is set to hear a petition on the rare side effects associated with Covishield, demanding an expert panel to investigate the vaccine’s effects.

As the pharmaceutical giant navigates these challenges, the global community awaits further developments on the future of AstraZeneca’s Covid vaccines.