AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine Withdrawal

SOURCE apnews.com
AstraZeneca requests withdrawal of its COVID-19 vaccine from European authorization due to safety concerns and lower efficacy compared to other vaccines, leading to a shift towards mRNA vaccines globally.

Key Points

  • Approval for AstraZeneca's Vaxzevria vaccine was withdrawn at the request of the company.
  • Concerns about safety and efficacy led to a decline in global usage of the vaccine.
  • Shift towards mRNA vaccines for better protection against COVID-19 and its variants.

Pros

  • Initially provided a cheaper and easier to distribute option for COVID-19 vaccination.
  • Significant financial government support during development.

Cons

  • Safety concerns arose due to rare blood clots in some vaccinated individuals.
  • Lower efficacy compared to mRNA vaccines like Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna.