On Tuesday, pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca announced that it would withdraw its COVID-19 vaccine.
In a statement, AstraZeneca said it would begin to withdraw Vaxzevria’s authorizations within Europe over low demand. This particular vaccine was not approved in the United States.
"As multiple, variant COVID-19 vaccines have since been developed there is a surplus of available updated vaccines," the company said in a statement, according to Fox Business.
"Our efforts have been recognized by governments around the world and are widely regarded as being a critical component of ending the global pandemic," the statement continued. "We will now work with regulators and our partners to align on a clear path forward to conclude this chapter and significant contribution to the Covid-19 pandemic."
Reportedly, more than 3 billion doses of the vaccine were supplied globally. Now, Vaxzevria, is no longer being manufactured or supplied.
According to United Kingdom-based outlet The Telegraph, the company admitted months ago that the vaccine can cause a rare and dangerous side effect (via The Telegraph):
Vaxzevria has come under intense scrutiny in recent months over a very rare side effect, which causes blood clots and low blood platelet counts. AstraZeneca admitted in court documents lodged with the High Court in February that the vaccine “can, in very rare cases, cause TTS”.
TTS – which stands for Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome – has been linked to at least 81 deaths in the UK as well as hundreds of serious injuries. AstraZeneca is being sued by more than 50 alleged victims and grieving relatives in a High Court case.
The Telegraph noted that the company claimed it’s a “pure coincidence” that the vaccine is being withdrawn shortly after this side effect came to light.
A woman named Kate Scott told the outlet that her husband Jamie was left with permanent brain damage after having the vaccine.
“AstraZeneca’s Covid vaccine no longer being used in the UK or Europe, and soon the rest of the world, means no one else will suffer from this awful adverse reaction,” she reportedly said.
Jamie Scott added, “This is good news, but I will always wish they had, like they did in other countries, paused it in the UK after just one case. More lives could have been saved and I would not be suffering the way I am.”
The U.K. government almost entirely stopped using the vaccine by autumn 2021. It was replaced by the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, which supplied booster shots.