Astra Zeneca has just pulled the COVID vaccine off the markets worldwide. This happened as the pharmaceutical company also admitted to the vaccine side effects. Check out more details below.
Astra Zeneca cites low-demand, but also admits side-effects
It has been reported by Bloomberg that AstraZeneca Plc has withdrawn its Covid-19 vaccine, Vaxzevria, from the market due to insufficient demand. The vaccine was initially thought to play a crucial role in protecting people from the virus. AstraZeneca has confirmed that it has withdrawn the marketing authorization for the vaccine in the European Union at its own request.
The vaccine is no longer being manufactured or supplied. AstraZeneca added that this decision was not related to any safety concerns.
AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine, which was developed in collaboration with Oxford University, was initially offered at a not-for-profit basis. It was considered a success for Britain, and even Prime Minister Boris Johnson received his first dose publicly. However, the vaccine’s rollout was plagued with concerns regarding its efficacy and safety.
These concerns started with French President Emmanuel Macron calling it “quasi-ineffective” in older adults shortly after it was approved in the EU. Despite these concerns, the vaccine was seen as a viable option to inoculate large portions of the global population as it did not require ultra-cold storage like some of the other vaccines in the market, and over 3 billion doses were supplied.
Following Emmanuel Macron’s comments, regulators began investigating the vaccine’s potential link to very rare cases of unusual blood clots. Although regulators ultimately determined that the benefits of the vaccine outweighed the risks, the damage had already been done.
As countries began procuring booster shots for their populations, AstraZeneca’s vaccine was overlooked in favor of shots using mRNA technology, particularly one developed by a partnership of BioNTech SE and Pfizer Inc. AstraZeneca is facing legal challenges from families of patients who died after receiving the vaccine.
New York Times addresses the issue
The New York Times wrote a piece that also addressed the side effects of the vaccine.
On Friday, they acknowledged that vaccine side effects are real, can seriously affect people, and should be covered in an article and newsletter.
British politician Andrew Bridgen spoke in the Parliament about the matter:
UNREAL
“I took the AstraZeneca jab based on the government’s assurance that it was safe and effective. I suffered side effects”
British politician Andrew Bridgen spoke in parliament.
SHARE – The TRUTH is coming out👇pic.twitter.com/PeRHF9bMNU
— PeterSweden (@PeterSweden7) May 9, 2024
The issue remains open, but what is certain is the fact that people did have side effects following the vaccine, even if the media is not covering this enough.
