The Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid vaccine is being withdrawn worldwide, the company has said, months after the pharmaceutical firm admitted in court documents that it could lead to a rare, dangerous side effect.
The application to withdraw the vaccine - which means it can no longer be used in the European Union - was made on March 5 and came into effect on Tuesday.
Alongside the EU withdrawal, similar applications are set to be filed in the UK and other countries that had approved the vaccine, known as Vaxzevria, in the coming months.
Despite Boris Johnson's hailing of the jab as a "triumph for British science" and AstraZeneca's claim that "over 6.5 million lives were saved" by the vaccine, the firm said it would be pulling it from markets worldwide for commercial reasons.
The Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid vaccine is being withdrawn worldwide
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AstraZeneca added that that specific jab had been surpassed by a number of updated vaccines which tackle newer Covid variants.
Vaxzevria has seen heavy scrutiny over the last few months after its manufacturer admitted in court documents that it could lead to a rare side effect, which causes blood clots and low blood platelet counts.
In documents lodged with the High Court in February, AstraZeneca admitted that the vaccine "can, in very rare cases, cause TTS" - Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome.
TTS has so far been linked to over 81 deaths in the UK, alongside hundreds of serious injuries, while AstraZeneca is currently in the midst of a High Court battle after being sued by more than 50 alleged victims and bereaved relatives.
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Boris Johnson's had hailed the jab as a "triumph for British science"
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An AstraZeneca statement said: "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.
"Our efforts have been recognised by governments around the world and are widely regarded as being a critical component of ending the global pandemic.
"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.
"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."
