-
The company previously pulled its European Union marketing authorization for the vaccine, known as Vaxzevria, in 2021.
-
This authorization grants approval to market a drug in EU member states.
Image: REUTERS
AstraZeneca has decided to withdraw its Covid-19 vaccine globally due to a "surplus of available updated vaccines" for the new variants of the virus.
The company said there is a variety of newer vaccines available that have been adapted to target Covid-19 variants leading to the decline in demand for AstraZeneca.
The company previously pulled its European Union marketing authorization for the vaccine, known as Vaxzevria, in 2021.
This authorization grants approval to market a drug in EU member states.
The withdrawal application from the European Union market, as reported by the Independent, was submitted on March 5 and took effect on May 7.
European Medicines Agency said in a notice that the jab is no longer authorised for use.
AstraZeneca changed the name of its Covid vaccine to Vaxzevria in 2021.
The vaccine was authorised for use in those aged 18 and older, delivered as two injections, usually into the muscle of the upper arm, about three months apart.
In the race to lift the world out of pandemic lockdowns, the Covid-19 vaccine was developed by scientists at the University of Oxford in record time.
In a statement, AstraZeneca said: "According to independent estimates, over 6.5 million lives were saved in the first year of use alone."
"Our efforts have been recognised by governments around the world and are widely regarded as being a critical component of ending the global pandemic," it said.
Africa was among the largest consumers of the drugs with Ghana reporting that in September 2021, it received 1.5 million doses of the vaccine.
This is according to an official report on the country’s Ministry of Health.
The Telegraph recently reported in an article that AstraZeneca acknowledged that the vaccine, initially named Covishield, could potentially cause very rare side effects such as blood clots and low blood platelet counts.
This admission followed a class action lawsuit filed in the UK, alleging that the vaccine had resulted in deaths and severe injuries, 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.
The vaccine, developed in collaboration with Oxford University and produced by the Serum Institute of India, was administered in over 150 countries, including Britain and India.
While some studies during the pandemic indicated the vaccine's effectiveness in protecting against the coronavirus ranged from 60 to 80 per cent, subsequent research revealed the potential for fatal blood clots.
AstraZeneca's acknowledgement 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 the vaccine's potentially fatal side effects, 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.