U.S. regulators on Thursday strictly limited who can receive Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine The restriction was due to a rare but dangerous risk of blood clots.
The vaccination should only be administered to people who are unable to obtain another vaccine or who specifically prefer J&J’s vaccine, according to the FDA. For months, US authorities have advised Americans to start their COVID-19 vaccinations with the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines.
FDA reviewed new evidence on the danger of life-threatening blood clots within two weeks of vaccination. After that, FDA regulators decided to restrict J&J’s vaccine, according to a statement.
The decision is the latest setback for J&J’s one-dose vaccination. Pfizer and Moderna’s more effective two-shot vaccine has long dominated it.
Dr. Peter Marks is the FDA’s vaccine chief. He said the agency restricted the vaccination after reviewing the data on the risks of life-threatening blood clots and determining that they limit to J&J’s vaccine.
“If there’s an alternative that appears to be equally effective in preventing severe outcomes from COVID-19, we’d rather see people opting for that,” Marks said. “But we’ve been careful to say that — compared to no vaccine — this is still a better option.”
“So if you had the vaccine six months ago, you can sleep soundly tonight knowing this isn’t an issue,” he said. Thereby, adding that the problem happens in the first two weeks after vaccination.
Because of safety concerns, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended prioritizing the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines over J&J’s in December. Previously, officials in the United States had treated all three vaccines equally. They were all established to provide effective protection.
However, follow-up trials repeatedly reveal that J&J’s vaccination is less effective. Although the blood clots detected with J&J’s shot are uncommon, officials believe they do happen.
