AstraZeneca withdraws Covid vaccine globally

New Delhi: Pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca has announced the global withdrawal of its Covid-19 vaccine, Vaxzevria, citing a surplus of newer vaccine options as the primary reason. The company has voluntarily withdrawn the "marketing authorization" for the vaccine within the European Union, and similar applications are expected to be made in other countries where the vaccine was approved.

The decision comes amidst ongoing legal battles faced by AstraZeneca over allegations that its vaccine, developed in collaboration with the University of Oxford, led to fatalities and severe injuries, including Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (TTS). However, the company has maintained that the withdrawal is not linked to the court case or its admission of TTS side effects, but rather due to commercial reasons and a decline in demand.

“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," AstraZeneca said.

What happens in India?

The vaccine, known as Covishield in India and other low- and middle-income countries, was developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University in response to the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. While AstraZeneca has voluntarily withdrawn the marketing authorizationfor Vaxzevria in the European Union, similar applications are expected to be made in other countries, including India, where the vaccine was manufactured and distributed by the Serum Institute of India (SII) under alicense.