AstraZeneca's COVID-19 Vaccine Granted Partial Legal Immunity

According to Reuters reporting on September 25, 2020, European governments have agreed to pay legal claims above an agreed limit against AstraZeneca over potential side-effects from its AZD1222 SARS-CoV-2 vaccine candidate, which is conducting phase 3 studies in various countries. The AZD1222 vaccine was developed by Oxford University’s Jenner Institute.

This confidential agreement with AstraZeneca shifts some of the vaccine's legal risks to taxpayers in those countries, which were not disclosed.

Over 8,000 individuals have received vaccinations as part of clinical trials, as of September 12, 2020.