J&J COVID-19 vaccine: US calls for pause in vaccination due blood clot
The US has stopped using the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine over blood clot concerns, as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) called for use of the jab to be suspended after six young women developed blood clots after receiving it.
The six women who developed clots were aged between 18 and 48; one of them died and another is in hospital, the New York Times reports.
On Twitter the FDA said in a statement:
Today FDA and @CDCgov issued a statement regarding the Johnson & Johnson #COVID19 vaccine. We are recommending a pause in the use of this vaccine out of an abundance of caution.
As of 4/12, 6.8m+ doses of the J&J vaccine have been administered in the U.S. CDC & FDA are reviewing data involving 6 reported U.S. cases of a rare & severe type of blood clot in individuals after receiving the vaccine. Right now, these adverse events appear to be extremely rare
Treatment of this specific type of blood clot is different from the treatment that might typically be administered.
CDC will convene a meeting of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) on Wednesday to further review these cases and assess their potential significance. FDA will review that analysis as it also investigates these cases.
Until that process is complete, we are recommending this pause. This is important to ensure that the health care provider community is aware of the potential for these adverse events and can plan due to the unique treatment required with this type of blood clot.
Today FDA and @CDCgov issued a statement regarding the Johnson & Johnson #COVID19 vaccine. We are recommending a pause in the use of this vaccine out of an abundance of caution.
— U.S. FDA (@US_FDA) April 13, 2021
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