South Africa regulator recommends lifting J&J vaccine pause after some conditions

South Africa’s health regulator, on Saturday, April 17, recommended that the government lift the pause on administering drugmaker Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccines, given that certain conditions are met.

“These conditions include, but are not limited to, strengthened screening and monitoring of participants who are at high risk of a blood clotting disorder,” the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) said.

“In addition, measures are to be implemented to ensure the safe management of any participants who develop vaccine-induced thrombosis and thrombocytopenia (VITT),” the statement added.

SAHPRA said on Wednesday, April 14, that it had recently reviewed data from Johnson & Johnson’s local research study immunizing healthcare workers and found no major safety concerns.

South Africa suspended the rollout of the J&J vaccine in the “implementation study” on Tuesday, after United States health agencies recommended pausing its use because of rare cases of blood clots in 6 people inoculated with it, out of some 7 million people who have received the shot in the United States.

A US panel will meet again next week to discuss whether the pause on the use of the vaccine should continue, after delaying a vote on the matter earlier this week. – Rappler.com