AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine row: In 2022, sources for Serum Institute of India – the producer of the vaccines in India – had said that there were no fresh orders from the government and that their supply commitments had ended as of March 31.
AstraZeneca vaccine row: Govt sources say no COVID-19 vaccine bought in last 2 years
Amid AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine furore, health ministry sources have said that the government did not purchase any COVID-19 vaccine in the last two years. They also stated that the government is not likely to purchase any more COVID-19 vaccines.
According to sources, the Covishield vaccine expires after 9 months.
In 2022, sources for Serum Institute of India – the producer of the vaccines in India – had said that there were no fresh orders from the government and that their supply commitments had ended as of March 31. However, the Covishield vaccine was widely administered in the country during the time of the pandemic.
This comes after AstraZeneca, in a court, had acknowledged that its vaccines, sold under the names of Covishield and Vaxzevria may lead to a rare side-effect. The vaccines can cause a condition that leads to blood clots and low platelet count, the vaccine-maker said in its court documents. The condition is known as Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (TTS).
AstraZeneca is facing a class action lawsuit in the UK over claims that its vaccine caused deaths and severe injuries in several cases.
After the side-effects of its vaccines made headlines, AstraZeneca in a statement said, “Our sympathy goes out to anyone who has lost loved ones or reported health problems. Patient safety is our highest priority, and regulatory authorities have clear and stringent standards to ensure the safe use of all medicines, including vaccines.”
Meanwhile, AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccines are now being withdrawn worldwide. The company, however, attributed this withdrawal to “commercial reasons”. It clarified that its COVID-19 vaccine is neither supplied anymore nor manufactured.
AstraZeneca called the decision “purely coincidental” and said that the withdrawal of the vaccine is not linked to its admission that it can cause TTS. The company voluntarily withdrew ‘market authorisation’ and the COVID-19 vaccine is no longer in use in the European Union.
