End Pause of J&J Vaccine, But Add Warning

April 23, 2021 — Use of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine should resume in the United States for all adults, an advisory panel for the CDC voted Friday afternoon.

The vote was 10-4 with one abstention. The decisions also includes instructions for a warning to be included with vials of the vaccine. It is directed at women under 50 who have an increased risk of a rare but serious blood clot disorder called thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS). 

As of April 21, 15 cases of TTS, all in women and 13 of them in women under 50, have been confirmed among 7.98 million doses of the J&J vaccine administered in the U.S. Three women have died.

The FDA and CDC recommended the pause on April 13 after reports that 6 women developed a rare blood clotting disorder 6 to 13 days after they received the J&J vaccine.

This story will be updated.