Astrazeneca upholds vaccine safety amid health concerns
AstraZeneca has reaffirmed its dedication to patient safety amid reports of rare side effects from the AstraZeneca-Oxford COVID-19 vaccine. The company emphasized that "patient safety is our highest priority, and regulatory authorities have clear and stringent standards to ensure the safe use of all medicines, including vaccines," according to a spokesperson. The company's declaration came days after it admitted that its COVID-19 vaccines "Covishield" and "Vaxzevria" may cause Thrombosis Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (TTS) in rare cases.
Why does this story matter?
AstraZeneca is facing a class-action lawsuit in the United Kingdom over claims that its COVID vaccine led to several fatalities and serious injuries. The lawsuit was initiated by Jamie Scott, who claims he developed "blood clot and bleed on his brain which left him with severe brain impairment" after receiving the vaccine in April 2021. Other than Scott's case, there are 51 other cases in which victims and their families have sought damages totaling over 100 million euros from AstraZeneca.
What is TTS
The firm admitted to potential side effects in a legal defense to a claim made by Scott, the case's first complaint. However, it also mentioned that TTS can be detected even if there is no vaccination and that expert evidence will be needed in each case to figure out what caused what. TTS is a rare condition characterized by a decrease in platelet count and the formation of blood clots in unusual places of the body.
AstraZeneca Vaxzevria vaccine also manufactured by Serum Institute of India
In India, the AstraZeneca Vaxzevria vaccine, which is also manufactured by the Serum Institute of India, was marketed as Covishield. Notably, in 2023, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that TTS was a new adverse event that emerged after people were vaccinated with COVID-19 non-replicant adenovirus vector-based vaccines. The vaccines it was referring to were the AstraZeneca COVID-19 ChAdOx-1 vaccine and the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) Janssen COVID-19 Ad26.COV2-S vaccine.
