In a significant turn, AstraZeneca has admitted that its Covid-19 vaccine can cause rare side effects. Their vaccine Covishield can lead to blood clots and low platelet count, the vaccine-maker said for the first time in court.
Shockingly, Covishield was developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University and sold globally including India. The shocking confession comes after AstraZeneca faced a class action lawsuit in UK over claims that its vaccine caused deaths and severe injuries.
As the case is going on in court, 10 shocking things you should know:
1. The lawsuit was initiated by a person named Jamie Scott, who suffered permanent brain injury due to blood clotting after taking the vaccine in April 2021.
2. Victims in as many as 51 cases are seeking damages up to 100 million pounds in the UK High Court.
3. AstraZeneca has admitted in the court that Covishield can cause TTS (Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome) which on the other hand causes blood clots and low blood platelet count in humans.
4. AstraZeneca’s admissions contradicts their 2023 stand in which they had said, ‘we do not accept that TTS is caused by the vaccine at a generic level’.
5. The vaccine is currently stopped from being administered to people in the UK due to safety concerns.
6. The vaccine was sold globally under the brand names Covishield and Vaxzevria among others.
7. AstraZeneca expressed deep sympathy for those who lost their loves ones or reported health problems.
8. This has raised serious concern over the conduct of regulatory authorities in ensuring strict standards to ensure the safe use of all medicines, including vaccines.
9. Apart from UK, AstraZeneca had collaborated with the Serum Institute of India (SII), the world’s largest vaccine producer to supply the vaccine in India.
10. Jamie Scott and his wife have urged for an apology and just compensation for their family and others who have been affected.