AstraZeneca has begun a global recall of its coronavirus vaccine due to a “surplus of available updated vaccines” following the pandemic. The company’s request to withdraw the vaccine was submitted on March 5 and took effect on May 7, according to the Telegraph.
“According to independent reports, in the first year of use of this vaccine alone, 6.5 million lives were saved and a total of 3 billion doses were delivered worldwide. Our efforts have been recognized by governments around the world and seen as critical to ending the global pandemic. We will now work with our legislators and partners to have a clean closure of this chapter and its significant contribution to the Covid-19 pandemic,” the company said in a statement.
“As multiple, variant COVID-19 vaccines have since been developed, there is a surplus of updated vaccines available,” the company said, adding that this has led to a decrease in demand for Vaxzevria, which is no longer manufactured and supplied.
The side effects
The Anglo-Swedish drugmaker had admitted in court documents that the vaccine causes side effects such as thrombocytopenia, or TTS, which has been linked to more than 80 deaths in Britain and low platelet counts.
Thrombosis syndrome with thrombocytopenia occurred in about two to three people per 100,000 vaccinated with the Vaxzevria vaccine.
However, AstraZeneca denies that the decision to withdraw the vaccine is related to the court case, insisting that the vaccine is instead being withdrawn from the market for commercial reasons.
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