The US Food and Drug Administration has limited the use of Johnson & Johnson’s single-shot coronavirus vaccine due to the small risk of developing a rare and potentially life-threatening blood clotting disorder.
In a statement released yesterday (May 5), the FDA said it is limiting the emergency use authorization of the vaccine. Now, adults can only take the Johnson & Johnson shot if other vaccines are not readily available or medically appropriate—for example, if they have had allergic reactions to other coronavirus vaccines. Patients may also receive the J&J vaccine if they refuse to take another shot. (The shot was never authorized for adolescents or children.)
The J&J vaccine is associated with a sometimes fatal condition called thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS). According to the FDA statement, an updated analysis of safety data through March 18 found that there have been 60 confirmed cases of TTS after J&J vaccinations, with ...
