Johnson & Johnson reportedly shut down production of their Wuhan coronavirus vaccine at their plant in South Holland, Netherlands. Reportedly, the facility was the only plant making usable batches of the vaccine.
The New York Times reported Tuesday that people familiar with the situation said that the facility is making an experimental, but potentially more profitable, vaccine to protect against an unrelated virus.
“The halt is temporary – the Leiden plant is expected to start churning out the Covid vaccine again after a pause of a few months – and it is not clear whether it has an impact on vaccine supplies yet, thanks to stockpiles,” the report said.
The Times claimed that the pause in production could reduce the supply of the J&J vaccine by “a few hundred million doses, according to one of the people familiar with the decision.”
“Other facilities have been hired to produce the vaccine but either aren’t up and running yet or haven’t received regulatory approval to send what they’re making to be bottled,” the report added. “Inside Johnson & Johnson’s executive suites, the decision to suspend production at Leiden prompted concerns that it would impair the company’s ability to deliver on its vaccine commitments to the developing world.”
The J&J COVID-19 vaccine, which was a single-shot regimen, “fell out of favor” in the United States and other countries in part due to a link to a rare, though dangerous, blood-clotting disorder.
“But poorer countries remain reliant on Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine, which does not require ultracold refrigeration. It has been shown to provide strong and long-lasting protection against severe disease across variants, including Omicron, when given as a two-shot regimen,” the report continued. “As a single shot, the vaccine is less expensive and relatively easy to give to hard-to-reach populations.”
In the United States, residents have a choice between the Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, or Moderna vaccine. The latter two are a two-shot primary vaccine regimen.
In an email to The Times, a Johnson & Johnson spokesperson said the company is “focused on ensuring our vaccine is available where people are in need” and they are “working day and night” to help fight the pandemic.
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