AstraZeneca controversies
Controversies tied to this brand in public sources. A listing is not a finding of fault.
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2026
AstraZeneca sues International Fire Consultants for £32 million over Discovery Centre defects
Lawsuit filed
AstraZeneca has launched a £32 million High Court claim against fire consultancy International Fire Consultants (IFC), alleging that IFC failed to comply with its duties and caused widespread defects in the construction of AstraZeneca's Discovery Centre in Cambridge. AstraZeneca says remediation work between 2021 and 2023 cost over £31.7 million. IFC has filed a defence calling the claim misconceived and incorrect, and AstraZeneca has issued a court reply rejecting that defence.
Source excerpt
IFC has filed a defence against the allegations. Their filing calls AstraZeneca’s claim “misconceived and incorrect”.
The pharmaceutical giant has accused International Fire Consultants (IFC) of causing “widespread defects” in the construction of its Cambridge-based facility,
AstraZeneca stated that, between 2021 and 2023, the remediation work they carried out to address the defects cost them over £31.7 million.
2021
AstraZeneca responds to EU legal action
Company response
In April 2021, AstraZeneca responded to legal action taken by the European Union. The company said it regretted the EU's legal action, stated that it believed the proceedings had no legal basis, and said it would defend itself in court. The response was reported by Sina Finance on April 27, 2021.
AstraZeneca said it regretted the EU's legal action, said it believed the proceedings had no legal basis, and said it would defend itself in court.
Company response
Denial — 阿斯利康
我们相信（欧盟的）任何诉讼都没有法律依据
Source excerpt
我们相信（欧盟的）任何诉讼都没有法律依据
阿斯利康发表声明回应，称对欧盟这项行动表示遗憾，将在法庭申辩。
2021
EU initiates legal proceedings against AstraZeneca over vaccine deliveries
Lawsuit filed
The European Union initiated legal proceedings against AstraZeneca, alleging that the company had not respected terms of its vaccine supply contract and lacked a reliable strategy to ensure timely deliveries. AstraZeneca said it had fully complied with the deal and would defend itself in court.
Company response
Denial — AstraZeneca
AstraZeneca shortly struck back, claiming it had fully complied with the advance purchase deal with the European Commission, and adding it was set to strongly defend itself in court.
Source excerpt
AstraZeneca shortly struck back, claiming it had fully complied with the advance purchase deal with the European Commission, and adding it was set to strongly defend itself in court.
The European Union has kicked off legal proceedings against the Swedish-British pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca citing its failure to deliver on an agreed upon contract to deliver vaccines to EU countries, the European Commission said in a statement.
Wednesday, 5 May 2021, 4:40 pm
2021
AstraZeneca sues Alembic over ticagrelor patent
Lawsuit filed
AstraZeneca filed a lawsuit against Alembic Pharmaceuticals alleging that Alembic's generic ticagrelor product would infringe AstraZeneca's patent. The report describes AstraZeneca's allegation regarding the proposed generic product and does not establish a court determination on the claim. No further details on the parties, the patent, or the litigation outcome are provided in the source.
Source excerpt
The plaintiff stated that contrary to the claims made in the notice letter, the defendant’s generic version of the drug does directly infringe upon claims within its patent and its relation to their brand name drug BRILINTA.
On Friday, pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca filed a lawsuit against Alembic Pharmaceuticals for allegedly infringing on their drug patent.
2021
PUMA Biotechnology and Wyeth sue AstraZeneca over Tagrisso patent
Lawsuit filed
PUMA Biotechnology Inc. and Wyeth LLC filed a lawsuit against AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals in Delaware, alleging that AstraZeneca's Tagrisso infringes their patent. The allegations are claims in the lawsuit, not a court determination.
Source excerpt
The plaintiffs alleged that AstraZeneca’s Tagrisso drug, even though it was approved by the Food and Drug Administration, infringes on their patent.
On Wednesday a case was filed in the District Court of Delaware. The case was filed by PUMA Biotechnology Inc and Wyeth LLC against AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals.
2021
Daily Express corrects false claim about AstraZeneca vaccine formula
Company response
The Daily Express corrected an article that falsely claimed Russia copied the AstraZeneca vaccine formula to make its own vaccine. The outlet apologized and published the Russian Direct Investment Fund’s response. The claim concerned AstraZeneca, but the source does not establish that the formula was stolen.
Stated objective. To set the record straight.
Company response
Apology — Daily Express
The British tabloid apologised for the publication of the false theft claim
Clarification — Daily Express
The Daily Express, a British tabloid, issued a correction to an 11 October article, which falsely claimed that "Russia [...] copied the formula of the AstraZeneca jab and used it to help make its own vaccine".
Source excerpt
The Daily Express, a British tabloid, issued a correction to an 11 October article, which falsely claimed that "Russia [...] copied the formula of the AstraZeneca jab and used it to help make its own vaccine".
The British tabloid apologised for the publication of the false theft claim and sought to "set the record straight" by publishing the official response of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), which funded the Sputnik V development.
2021
AstraZeneca sues Glaxo over Zejula licensing agreement
Lawsuit filed
AstraZeneca filed a lawsuit in the U.K. against GlaxoSmithKline, alleging that a 2012 licensing agreement over the Zejula cancer drug was breached and seeking a greater share of sales.
Source excerpt
AstraZeneca (, AZN) filed a lawsuit in the U.K. against GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), saying a 2012 licensing agreement over the Zejula cancer drug was breached and, therefore, it should have a greater share of sales
2021
UK regulator reports blood-clot cases after AstraZeneca vaccine use
Hazard disclosure
The UK regulator said it had identified 30 cases of rare blood-clot events following use of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.
Source excerpt
British regulators on Thursday said they have identified 30 cases of rare blood clot events after the use of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine, 25 more than the agency previously reported.
2021
EMA investigates blood clot reports involving AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine
Investigation
The European Medicines Agency’s Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee was investigating thromboembolic events reported in people who received AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine. The agency said its review was ongoing and that the vaccine’s benefits currently outweighed the risks.
Stated objective. Determine whether the vaccine might have contributed to the reported events or whether they were likely due to other causes.
Source excerpt
The Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee (PRAC) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) is investigating cases of thromboembolic events related to AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine, but says the benefits currently still outweigh risks.
Experts are looking in great detail at all the available data and clinical circumstances surrounding specific cases to determine whether the vaccine might have contributed or if the event is likely to have been due to other causes.
2020
AstraZeneca releases vaccine trial protocols amid safety concerns
Issue disclosure
AstraZeneca released details of its coronavirus vaccine trials amid pressure for greater transparency. The article reports that serious neurological illnesses in two trial participants had prompted pauses in the trials; the company said the illnesses were unlikely to be associated with the vaccine or that evidence was insufficient to determine whether they were related.
Source excerpt
A participant information sheet dated Sept. 11 on AstraZeneca’s trial in Britain lumped the two volunteers’ cases together, stating the illnesses were “unlikely to be associated with the vaccine or there was insufficient evidence to say for certain that the illnesses were or were not related to the vaccine,” based on safety reviews.
AstraZeneca revealed details of its large coronavirus vaccine trials Saturday, the third in a wave of rare disclosures by drug companies under pressure to be more transparent about how they are testing products that are the world’s best hope for ending the pandemic.
2020
AstraZeneca faces criticism over U.S. vaccine-trial transparency
Public backlash
In November 2020, AstraZeneca faced criticism regarding transparency around the U.S. clinical trial of its COVID-19 vaccine. According to the report, calls were made for AstraZeneca and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to explain why the U.S. trial remained paused. Critics said greater transparency was needed. The article states that the company had not explained why the trial had not resumed.
The article reports calls for AstraZeneca and the FDA to explain why the U.S. clinical trial of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine remained paused. Critics said greater transparency was needed; the article says the company had not explained why the trial had not resumed.
Source excerpt
Despite these calls, both the FDA and AstraZeneca have yet to explain why the trial hasn't resumed.
both the FDA and AstraZeneca should be more open about why the trial for the coronavirus vaccine remains on pause
2020
Covishield trial volunteer sues Serum Institute over alleged adverse reaction
Lawsuit filed
A 40-year-old volunteer in a Covishield trial sued Serum Institute of India for ₹5 crore, alleging that the vaccine caused an adverse reaction including neurological impairment. According to reports, the hospital's institutional ethics committee concluded that the adverse reaction was not due to the study vaccine. The event concerns a legal claim by a trial participant and a reported ethics committee finding; no further details on the case outcome are provided in the source.
A 40-year-old Covishield trial volunteer sued Serum Institute of India for ₹5 crore, alleging that the vaccine caused an adverse reaction including neurological impairment. The hospital's institutional ethics committee reportedly concluded that the adverse reaction was not due to the study vaccine.
Source excerpt
A 40-year-old volunteer for 'Covishield', the candidate vaccine being tested by the Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII), has sued the company for ₹5 crore, alleging that the vaccine triggered an adverse reaction, which includes neurological impairment and an inability to get back to the life before being inoculated.
The hospital's institutional ethics committee had given a letter, Dr. Ramakrishnan said, that said the adverse reaction was not due to the study vaccine, and this was also communicated to the Drug Controller General of India (DGCI), the apex regulator.