AstraZeneca has begun withdrawing its COVID-19 vaccine, Vaxzevria, from global markets following the admission of a rare side effect involving blood clotting. The pharmaceutical company faces a class-action lawsuit in the UK High Court on behalf of individuals claiming injury or death from the shot. While the company attributes the withdrawal to a surplus of newer variant-specific vaccines, the World Health Organization continues to maintain that the benefits of the original vaccine outweighed the risks.


