The vaccine was found to cause potentially fatal blood clots.
QUICK FACTS:
- The Food and Drug Administration announced Thursday a restriction on the use of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine.
- The agency reported that it can only be administered to adults 18-years of age or older who for some reason cannot receive the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines.
- The FDA stated that those who want to receive the J&J vaccine “because they would otherwise not receive a COVID-19 vaccine” and without offering a reason as to why an adult would not be eligible for one of the two-dose vaccinations.
- Johnson & Johnson responded to the announcement, saying that they were closely coordinating with the FDA on the issue.
MORE ON THE FDA’S ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT THE VACCINE RESTRICTION:
- “We recognize that the Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine still has a role in the current pandemic response in the United States and across the global community,” said Peter Marks, director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, according to The Epoch Times. “Our action reflects our updated analysis of the risk of TTS following administration of this vaccine and limits the use of the vaccine to certain individuals.”
- Marks said that officials have been “closely monitoring” the J&J vaccine and that the FDA again stated that the “known and potential benefits of the vaccine” currently outweigh the negatives.
- “The agency will continue to monitor the safety of the Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine and all other vaccines and, as has been the case throughout the pandemic, will thoroughly evaluate new safety information,” he added.
- For their part, the vaccine agency said: “Johnson & Johnson continues to collaborate with health authorities and regulators around the world to ensure healthcare professionals and individuals are warned and fully informed about reports of TTS, enabling correct diagnosis, appropriate treatment, and expedited reporting.”
BACKGROUND:
- Both Moderna and Pfizer are two-dose vaccines and use mRNA technology, while J&J’s single-shot vaccine uses adenovirus technology.
- Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine has garnered the reputation of being the most problematic, and the company did not immediately respond to The Epoch Times’ request for comment on the FDA’s announcement.
