Tokyo, Aug. 26, (dpa/GNA) – Japan’s Health Ministry on Thursday said that the use of 1.63 million doses of Moderna Covid-19 vaccine was suspended as a precaution after “foreign materials” were found in some portions of unused jabs, according to local media.
Kyodo news agency reported that the use of around 1.63 million doses manufactured in the same production line has been suspended as a precaution, adding that the Japanese drugmaker in charge of sales and distribution of the vaccine in the country, Takeda Pharmaceutical, said it has yet to see any reports of safety issues.
Some of the 1.63 million doses distributed to 863 vaccination centres have already been used, according to the report.
“To date, no safety or efficacy issues have been identified,” Moderna told Kyodo News, adding it is “carefully assessing this matter and at this point does not have further comments on root causes.”
The Health Ministry was quoted as saying the doses of Moderna vaccine were produced in the same production line at the same time in Spain, and that it believed the risk of safety issues was “not significant,” but it would ask each facility that received the doses not to use them.
It said it revealed the lot numbers – 3004667, 3004734 and 3004956 – so that concerned individuals can check whether they received a potentially contaminated shot before the affected vaccine doses were suspended.
Kyodo cited the ministry and Takeda Pharmaceutical as saying that Moderna is conducting an investigation into the materials.
Over 10 million Moderna doses have been used in Japan since the vaccine was approved for emergency use in May, according to the government.
GNA