CDC panel wants more data before deciding whether to resume use of Johnson & Johnson vaccine

An illustration showing Johnson & Johnson vaccines.
(Image credit: JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images)

A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advisory panel decided in an emergency meeting on Wednesday that members need more data before voting on how to proceed with Johnson & Johnson's one-dose COVID-19 vaccine.

On Tuesday, the CDC and Federal Drug Administration recommended a pause in using the Johnson & Johnson vaccine after six women who received it developed rare brain blood clots. One of the women died. The panel is seeking more information on the clots, including the risk factors and frequency, and will reconvene in the next seven to 10 days.

Dr. Lynn Batha, an epidemiologist at the Minnesota Department of Health and a member of the CDC advisory panel, said she supported extending the pause because "by having more robust information, I think we can be more confident about how we talk about the safety of this vaccine."

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Johnson & Johnson's vaccine is one of three authorized for use in the U.S., and because only one shot is needed and doses can be stored at normal refrigerator temperatures, it is considered the best option for people who are vulnerable, like those who are incarcerated or homeless.

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Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia is night editor for TheWeek.com. Her writing and reporting has appeared in Entertainment Weekly and EW.com, The New York Times, The Book of Jezebel, and other publications. A Southern California native, Catherine is a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.