The Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid vaccine, developed during the height of the pandemic, is being pulled around the world just months after the company admitted the jab can cause a side effect that is rare and dangerous.
The pharmaceutical giant recently withdrew its “marketing authorization” and can no longer be distributed in the European Union. The shot was previously praised as a “triumph for British science” by Boris Johnson, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
While AstraZeneca claims the vaccine is being pulled because it is outdated, the move comes after the company admitted the shot “can, in very rare cases, cause TTS,” according to The Telegraph.
According to Health Direct, Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (TTS) is a “very rare syndrome.”
“It occurs when a person has blood clots (thrombosis) together with a low platelet count (thrombocytopenia). It’s also referred to as ‘vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia’ (VITT),” the website states.
“Thrombosis is the formation of a blood clot, which can reduce normal blood flow in an affected blood vessel,” it continues. “Thrombocytopenia is a condition where there aren’t enough platelets in the blood. Platelets normally help the blood to clot (clump), which stops you from bleeding excessively (for example, if you cut yourself).”
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According to The Telegraph, at least 81 deaths and hundreds of injuries in the UK have been linked to the rare syndrome.
Over 50 alleged victims and relatives of victims have sued AstraZeneca for the pharmaceutical giant’s role in TTS-related deaths and injuries. AstraZeneca claims the decision to pull the vaccine – branded Vaxzevria in 2021 – and the High Court case are unrelated.
“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,” the company said in a statement.
“Our efforts have been recognised by governments around the world and are widely regarded as being a critical component of ending the global pandemic,” the statement continued. “As multiple, variant Covid-19 vaccines have since been developed, there is a surplus of available updated vaccines. This has led to a decline in demand for Vaxzevria, which is no longer being manufactured or supplied. AstraZeneca has therefore taken the decision to initiate withdrawal of the marketing authorisations for Vaxzevria within Europe.”
