Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Still Good To Use: J&J Boosts Shelf Life Of Covid Shots; Feds Pause Shipments
Bloomberg: Johnson & Johnson Vaccine’s Shelf Life Is Extended By FDA
Johnson & Johnson’s Covid-19 vaccine can be kept in a refrigerator for four and a half months, extending the shot’s shelf life by 50% as doses languish amid a slowing immunization campaign. The company said in a statement that the Food and Drug Administration adopted the extension based on study data showing the vaccine is stable when refrigerated at 36 to 46 degrees Fahrenheit (2.2 to 7.8 degrees Celsius) for four and a half months. The FDA confirmed the adoption in an email. (Griffin, 6/10)
AP: US Extends Expiration Dates For J&J COVID Vaccine By 6 Weeks
Johnson & Johnson said Thursday that U.S. regulators extended the expiration date on millions of doses of its COVID-19 vaccine by six weeks. The company said a Food and Drug Administration review concluded the shots remain safe and effective for at least 4 1/2 months. In February, the FDA originally authorized J&J’s vaccine for up to three months when stored at normal refrigeration levels. (Perrone, 6/10)
In related news about Johnson & Johnson shots —
The Wall Street Journal: U.S. Suspends J&J Covid-19 Vaccine Shipments As States Face A Surplus Of Expiring Doses
The U.S. government has halted new shipments of the Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine, according to state and federal health officials, one of several steps federal agencies are taking that could help clear a backlog of unused doses before they expire. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has stopped making available the one-dose shot to states, the state and federal health officials said. The stoppage is believed to be temporary, some of these officials said. (Hopkins and McKay, 6/10)
Fox News: US Halts Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 Vaccine Shipments: Report
Federal officials suspended new shipments of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine doses in a bid to relieve states’ pileup of expiring doses, according to a report. The Wall Street Journal reported the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ceased availability to states, though deliveries are expected to resume. The Journal cited health officials from several states, like Oklahoma and Illinois, who reportedly said they could not order new J&J doses in the last weeks. Some said they have enough supply. (Rivas, 6/10)
