Hope To Halt: A Timeline Of AstraZeneca's Covid Vaccine Journey
AstraZeneca, the maker of Covishield, which was produced by Serum Institute for India, saw trouble first in April 2021 when British citizen Jamie Scott took the company to court.
Days after admitting in court that its Covid vaccine "can, in very rare cases, cause TTS" or Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome, AstraZeneca has started withdrawing the Vaxzevria vaccine globally. The vaccine was introduced in India as Covisheild by Serum Institute of India, owned by the Poonawalla group.
AstraZeneca said it was pulling back the vaccine due to commercial reasons as it had been "superseded by updated vaccines that tackle new variants," according to a company statement cited by the Telegraph. The company voluntarily withdrew its marketing authorisation for the vaccine in the European Union, effective Tuesday, the report said.
Mapping AstraZeneca's Woes
The pharmaceutical company’s woes began in April 2021 when British citizen Jamie Scott took the company to court for damages caused by the vaccine jab, saying he had developed blood clots and a brain haemorrhage just a few days after taking the vaccine.
The Covid-19 vaccine was co-developed by Oxford University and the British pharmaceutical major. Below is a timeline of events that ended up hitting the company hard:
April 2020 - November 2020: Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine undergoes three clinical trials.
December 2020: UK government becomes the first to approve AstraZeneca vaccine.
January 28, 2021: Doubts emerge about the vaccine's efficacy in older adults. Germany delays approval, and France questions its effectiveness in those above the age of 65.
February 8, 2021: South Africa pauses its rollout after studies suggest the vaccine may not prevent mild illness from the B.1.351 variant.
February 22, 2021: India prioritises production of Covishield (AstraZeneca vaccine made by Serum Institute) for domestic use, potentially delaying deliveries elsewhere.
March 11, 2021: Denmark raises concerns about blood clots linked to the vaccine and suspends its use. AstraZeneca's stock price drops.
March 16, 2021: A domino effect sees several European countries, including Germany, France, and Italy, pause the vaccine due to clotting concerns. The WHO and EMA maintain the vaccine's safety.
April 7, 2021: EMA confirms a link between the vaccine and rare blood clots and urges further investigation.
February, 2024: Legal battles ensue, with multiple people suing AstraZeneca for vaccine-related blood clots and a class-action lawsuit alleging deaths and injuries in years following 2021.
In repose to the lawsuit AstraZeneca admitted a rare blood clot side effect called Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (TTS) can occur in some people who receive their Covid-19 vaccine. Court documents submitted in February to a UK court stated, "It is admitted that the AZ vaccine can, in very rare cases, cause TTS. The causal mechanism is not known."
