The European Medicines Agency adds capillary leak syndrome as a contraindication to Janssen

12/07/2021

The Safety Committee of the European Medicines Agency (EMA), the Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee (PRAC), evaluated three cases of capillary leak syndrome, which occurred within two days of vaccination in people who had received the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine. One of the affected individuals had a history of capillary leak syndrome and two of them subsequently died. As of 21 June 2021, more than 18 million doses of the Janssen COVID19 vaccine had been administered worldwide.

 

On 9 July 2021, the EMA reported that PRAC is recommending that people who have previously been diagnosed with capillary leak syndrome should not be vaccinated with the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine. Capillary leak syndrome will be added, as a new side effect, to the product information for this vaccine, along with a warning to raise awareness among health professionals and patients about this risk.

Capillary leak syndrome is a serious, very rare condition that causes fluid to leak from small blood vessels (capillaries) into neighboring body cavities, resulting in swelling mainly in the arms and legs, low blood pressure, thickening of the blood, and low blood albumin levels. Healthcare professionals should be aware of the signs and symptoms of capillary leak syndrome and its risk of recurrence in people who have been previously diagnosed with the disease.

People who have been vaccinated with the Janssen Covid-19 vaccine should seek immediate medical attention if they experience rapid swelling of the arms and legs or sudden weight gain in the days following vaccination. These symptoms are usually associated with feeling faint (due to low blood pressure).  

Source: https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/news/ema-advises-against-use-covid-19-vaccine-janssen-people-historycapillary-leak-syndrome    

A similar measure was taken previously by the European Medicines Agency for the Vaxzevria vaccine. Additional information at: https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/news/vaxzevria-ema-advises-against-use-people-history-capillaryleak-syndrome    

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