Johnson & Johnson confirms vaccine production issues

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Production of the single-shot vaccine has hit a delay.


Sarah Tew/CNET

Johnson & Johnson has confirmed reports it identified a batch of COVID-19 vaccines that didn’t meet its quality standards and as a result destroyed them. The batch hadn’t yet advanced to the filling and finishing stages, but the company said it’s evidence of how rigorous its quality control is.

“The start-up for a new process includes test runs and quality checks to ensure manufacturing is validated and the end product meets our high-quality standards,” Johnson & Johnson said Wednesday. “The issue was identified and addressed with Emergent and shared with the United States Food & Drug Administration (FDA).”

Read more: Pfizer and Moderna vaccines 80% effective at preventing COVID-19 after one shot, CDC says

As a result, Johnson & Johnson will provide Emergent Biosolutions’ Bayview Facility with more experts in manufacturing, technical operations and quality to supervise and direct the manufacturing of the vaccine. The facility hasn’t yet produced any of Johnson & Johnson’s coronavirus vaccine currently being distributed in the US.

“In coordination with the US Department of Health & Human Services, these steps will enable us to safely deliver an additional 24 million single-shot vaccine doses through April,” Johnson & Johnson said, adding it aims to deliver 100 million single-shot vaccines by the end of May.

Johnson & Johnson’s comments follow a report earlier Wednesday by The New York Times saying around 15 million doses had been accidentally ruined by human error after workers in the facility mixed ingredients incorrectly, with shipments of the vaccine delayed as a result.

President Joe Biden on Tuesday announced 90% of adults will be eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine by April 19, and that the majority of Americans will have a vaccination site within five miles of their home. Biden had previously said all adults in the US should be eligible for a vaccine by May 1.

Here’s where to get a COVID-19 shot and how to track how many vaccines are available in your state.

Read more: 16 important do’s and don’ts for getting your COVID-19 vaccine 

The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.

source: cnet.com