Brazil suspends production of AstraZeneca’s Covid vaccine

By Wesley Oliveira

Brazil suspended production of AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine without much fanfare in October last year.

The information, however, gained more evidence this week after posts were published on social networks.

The vaccine was made by the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz).

At the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, the Jair Bolsonaro government signed a partnership with AstraZeneca for the product to be developed in Brazil.

In 2022, however, the Ministry of Health (MS) did not renew the contract.

Sought by Revista Oeste, Fiocruz said AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine production was suspended due to “low demand.”

“At the moment, Bio-Manguinhos/Fiocruz is producing a new batch of active pharmaceutical ingredients, which will remain in stock,” the foundation said in a statement.

Fiocruz assured that it continues to manufacture other MS National Immunization Program vaccines.

Two months after the act, considering the high risk of thrombosis, especially in women, the MS recommended the viral vector immunizers – such as Janssen’s – only for people over 40 years.

“This general coordination believes it is pertinent to update the recommendations for the use of viral vector vaccines (AstraZeneca and Janssen) so that, in the population under 40 years of age, Covid-19 platform vaccines that are not viral vector vaccines are preferably administered,” the MS stressed.

With information from Revista Oeste