J&J JAB PAUSE HOLDS AS 7TH CLOT CASE SEEN
A panel of US health experts ruled that the pause on using the Johnson & Johnson vaccines would continue for at least another week so they have time to assess the risk of blood clots.
Another case of the clotting disorder was reported Wednesday, bringing the total of US cases to seven—including one death—among the 7.2 million J&J doses administered in the country.
“I don’t want to send the message that there is something fundamentally wrong with this vaccine,” said Beth Bell, chair of the expert group convened by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
“But I want to be able to understand and defend the decision that I’ve made (to continue using the vaccine or not) based on a reasonable amount of data,” she added.
Major hit
Johnson & Johnson said it would delay its European rollout, again over blood clot fears—a major hit for the continent’s beleaguered immunization campaign.
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) said it would make a recommendation on the safety of the J&J jab next week after evaluating clot links.
AstraZeneca has faced similar setbacks, with many countries now limiting its use to older people following isolated cases of blood clots among younger populations, some fatal.
Denmark said Wednesday it would stop using it altogether—a European first—despite assurances from the EMA and the World Health Organization that the benefits far outweigh possible risks.