Collection of information on recently reported rare and severe events - April 2021

27/04/2021

UNITED STATES


Use of the Janssen vaccine in the United States is temporarily suspended


As of 12 April 2021, more than 6.8 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) vaccine had been administered
in the United States. Six events involving severe clotting disorders, known as cerebral venous sinus thrombosis
(CVST), were reported in combination with low blood platelet levels (thrombocytopenia), in people who had received
this vaccine. In a joint statement, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC) recommended temporarily discontinuing use of the vaccine, pending a detailed review by the
Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) of cases under investigation, and until the Committee is able
to provide a clear recommendation on how to proceed.


All six cases occurred in women between the ages of 18 and 48. Symptoms occurred 6 to 13 days after vaccination.
Since this is not the typical treatment for this type of blood clotting (administration of heparin is very dangerous),
health care providers have been alerted to alternative treatments. At the same time, people recently vaccinated with
the Janssen vaccine have been told to be alert for possible symptoms of severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain,
or shortness of breath, and to seek immediate medical attention if they experience any of these symptoms.
Johnson & Johnson announced that it will postpone delivery of its vaccine in European Union countries.


The ACIP met on 14 April, but did not reach any conclusions, indicating that it needed more time to review
information on potential health risks before voting on a recommendation. From 30 March to 1 April, 3.7 million
doses of Janssen vaccine had been administered – 52% of all Janssen doses to date –, and people who have been
vaccinated are still in the post-vaccination time frame for possible thrombocytopenic thrombotic events.


Sources:


https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/joint-cdc-and-fda-statement-johnson-johnson-covid-19-vaccine


https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/acip/meetings/slides-2021-04.html


https://emergency.cdc.gov/han/2021/han00442.asp

 

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