AstraZeneca has made the decision to withdraw its Covid-19 vaccine globally due to a surplus of updated vaccines targeting new variants of the virus.
The company cited the availability of newer vaccines adapted to address Covid-19 variants as the reason behind the decline in demand for the AstraZeneca vaccine.
Previously, AstraZeneca withdrew its European Union marketing authorization for the vaccine, known as Vaxzevria, in 2021. This authorization allows the marketing of a drug in EU member states.
According to the Independent, the withdrawal application from the European Union market was submitted on March 5 and became effective on May 7. The European Medicines Agency confirmed in a notice that the vaccine is no longer authorized for use.
AstraZeneca had changed the name of its Covid vaccine to Vaxzevria in 2021. The vaccine, administered to those aged 18 and older, consisted of two injections, typically given into the muscle of the upper arm about three months apart.
Developed by scientists at the University of Oxford, the Covid-19 vaccine was created in record time in the race to lift the world out of pandemic lockdowns.
AstraZeneca stated, “According to independent estimates, over 6.5 million lives were saved in the first year of use alone.” The company’s efforts were acknowledged by governments globally and were seen as a critical component in ending the global pandemic.
Africa was one of the largest consumers of the vaccine, with Ghana reporting in September 2021 that it had received 1.5 million doses of the vaccine, according to an official report from the country’s Ministry of Health.
The Telegraph recently reported that AstraZeneca acknowledged potential very rare side effects of the vaccine, including blood clots and low blood platelet counts. This acknowledgment followed a class action lawsuit filed in the UK, alleging deaths and severe injuries caused by the vaccine and seeking damages up to £100 million (Sh16.3 billion) for about 50 victims.
AstraZeneca confirmed in court documents in February that the vaccine could, in very rare instances, lead to thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS), characterized by blood clots and low blood platelet counts.
Despite earlier denials, AstraZeneca’s admission contradicted its previous stance in 2023, when it stated it would not accept that TTS was caused by the vaccine at a generic level.
In April 2021, the World Health Organization (WHO) also confirmed potentially fatal side effects of the vaccine, citing reports of thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome after vaccination.
In response, AstraZeneca expressed pride in the role Vaxzevria played in combating the pandemic, highlighting independent estimates that over 6.5 million lives were saved in the first year of use alone, with over three billion doses supplied globally.
