U.S. health authorities were about to warn simply about the risk of blood clotting from Johnson & Johnson’s Covid-19 vaccine, but decided to recommend a break for reasons of concern that doctors were treating the disease. inappropriate form, according to people familiar with the matter.
Over the past four weeks, U.S. health officials had been alarmed by similar blood clotting conditions in Europe involving a Covid-19 vaccine from AstraZeneca PLC, according to people. Officials delved into a U.S. vaccine safety database and identified cases of great concern, but discussed what steps should be taken.
Last Monday night, officials decided that urgent action was needed, according to people. Four of the six U.S. women who developed blood clots days after vaccination had initially received heparin, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Its use could have worsened the condition of patients, according to people.
That night, the country’s top health officials agreed during a one-hour Zoom meeting to take the strongest step: to publicly recommend stopping vaccine use while investigating cases of adverse events, according to people.
Since the announcement, the Food and Drug Administration has studied other reports of additional cases of blood clotting among people who received the J&J vaccine, but has not confirmed whether any of them reflect the same phenomenon. according to people. However, officials are increasingly convinced, people added, that the total of six cases reported so far are related to the shooting.