The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has placed limits on the Johnson and Johnson (Janssen) vaccine for adults only over the age of 18 due to the side effects in younger recipients.
It is no longer authorised for minors due to ‘rare and potentially life-threatening blood clots.’
After conducting an updated analysis, evaluation, and investigation of reported cases, the FDA has determined that the risk of thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS), warrants limiting the authorised use of the vaccine.
Symptoms appear 1-2 weeks after the vaccine has been administered.
Even for adults, the J+J vaccine is only recommended for those that other or approved vaccines are not accessible or clinically appropriate, or who are not able to get an immunisation otherwise.
This is not the first setback for J+J, there was a brief pause in April 2021 when the rollout began, after several blood clotting cases appeared.
The FDA re-approved the vaccine a little over a week later. The CDC recommends other vaccines over J+J after a review of its effectiveness and safety data.
