AstraZeneca Withdraws Covid Vaccine, SII Acknowledges Concerns
Following AstraZeneca's global withdrawal of its Covid vaccine, the Serum Institute of India (SII) has acknowledged and expressed understanding of the ongoing concerns surrounding the vaccine. SII, which partnered with AstraZeneca to produce the Covishield vaccine for India and other low- and middle-income countries, remains committed to transparency and safety, emphasizing that all necessary measures have been taken to disclose the vaccine's rare side effects.
AstraZeneca's decision to withdraw its vaccine was primarily driven by the availability of newer vaccine options and decreased demand. The company also intends to retract marketing authorisations for its vaccine, Vaxzevria, across Europe, citing the discontinuation of production and supply.
The controversy surrounding the AstraZeneca vaccine stemmed from its association with a rare and potentially fatal side effect, thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS). This information was first disclosed by AstraZeneca in UK court documents on April 29, 2024.
Despite the controversy, the World Health Organisation (WHO) outlines the potential side-effects of the AstraZeneca vaccine as generally mild to moderate and short-lived. These typically include discomfort at the injection site, fatigue, fever, headache, nausea, muscle or joint pain, swelling, redness at the injection site, dizziness, drowsiness, and sweating.
Following the controversy, several countries, including Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, Iceland, Congo, and Bulgaria, banned the vaccine. Additionally, European nations such as Germany, France, Italy, and Spain temporarily halted its administration in 2021 due to instances of blood clotting among vaccinated individuals.
As of April 30, 2024, over 1.7 billion doses of the Covishield vaccine have been administered in India. SII continues to emphasize its commitment to transparency and safety, ensuring that all necessary information regarding the vaccine's potential side effects is readily available.