Contaminants found in more Moderna COVID vaccine in Japan
KYODO NEWS
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Aug 29, 2021 - 22:19 | All, Coronavirus, Japan
The Gunma prefectural government said Sunday that foreign substances were discovered in Moderna Inc.'s COVID-19 vaccine, the latest in a series of contaminants in the company's product reported in Japan over the past several days.
Blackish foreign matter, less than 0.5 millimeters in size, was spotted during pre-inoculation inspections in a vial that has a different lot number from those of the three lots suspended Thursday for use and another found Saturday in Okinawa containing black and pink substances.
About 4,500 people received shots in Gunma under the lot number over the three days through Sunday but no cases of ill health have been reported, the local government said.
Gunma becomes the seventh prefecture to report the discovery of foreign matter in the Moderna vaccine following Ibaraki, Saitama, Tokyo, Gifu, Aichi and Okinawa.
All the seven are among 21 prefectures, out of the total 47, currently under a COVID-19 state of emergency, as Japan is struggling to contain a spike in coronavirus infections.
The same day, the Okinawa prefectural government said it halted inoculations at a mass vaccination site in Naha following the discovery of contaminants in a vial and three syringes filled with vaccine from three different vials.
These four vials fall under the same lot number -- 3005293 -- which is different from the three other lot numbers identified by Japan's health ministry Thursday as potentially contaminated doses.
The Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry said Sunday that rubber pieces have likely fallen into the vials when a syringe needle was inserted into the rubber top of the vials. The ministry has found no major problem in vaccine quality, it added.
The ministry said it consulted with Japanese drugmaker Takeda Pharmaceutical Co., which is in charge of the sale and distribution of the Moderna vaccine in the country, and decided there is no need to halt the use of the batch as there are no major safety issues.
About 880 people received shots in Okinawa under the lot number and the local government has not received any reports of health issues.
The contaminant issue started Thursday when the ministry said foreign substances have been confirmed in 39 unused vials at eight vaccination sites in Ibaraki, Saitama, Tokyo, Gifu and Aichi.
The ministry the same day halted the use of around 1.63 million doses of the three lots, which came from a Spanish manufacturer for Moderna, as a precaution.
Moderna launched a probe into the three lots -- 3004667, 3004734 and 3004956 -- while urging medical institutions and other entities not to administer any vaccine showing abnormalities, even doses not subject to the suspension.
The Okinawa government said it will resume inoculating people at the site on Monday and Gunma restarted vaccination at the center Sunday, both by using unaffected vaccine.
Related coverage:
Contaminants found in Moderna vaccine not belonging to suspended lots
2 men die in Japan after receiving dose of suspended Moderna vaccines
Moderna's contaminated vaccine only shipped to Japan: Spanish maker
Tainted Moderna vaccine found in Okinawa under 4th lot number
THE ASAHI SHIMBUN
August 29, 2021 at 17:00 JST
The city center of Naha, capital of Okinawa Prefecture (Asahi Shimbun file photo)
NAHA--A batch of COV19-19 vaccines manufactured by Moderna Inc. not covered by those suspended by the health ministry due to contamination fears turned out to be tainted, Okinawa prefectural authorities said late Aug. 28.
Following the discovery, officials canceled a mass vaccination of the Moderna vaccine at a site in Naha planned for late in the afternoon that day. They also called off a scheduled inoculation at the venue set for Aug. 29.
Officials said small black particles were detected in an opened vaccine vial as well as in two syringes loaded with the vaccine during the afternoon of Aug. 28.
They added that a foreign substance with a pinkish hue was detected in another syringe.
The contamination affected a batch with the lot number 3005293.
Nearly 900 doses of the same lot number were administered between Aug. 27 and Aug. 28 after health officials confirmed there was no irregularity in the vaccine.
Officials said they are not aware of any reports of health issues among those who received the shots.
They said 360 Moderna vaccine vials were distributed to the site. Officials have yet to confirm the safety of the vials that were not used.
The development followed the health ministry’s Aug. 26 decision to halt the rollout of the Moderna vaccine with the lot numbers 3004667, 3004734 and 3004956, after contamination was discovered in the vaccine produced under lot number 3004667.
The ministry also suspended the use of the product under the latter two lot numbers, citing fears of possible contamination.
The vaccines under the three lot numbers all came from the same production line of a Spanish factory.
Tainted Moderna vaccine found in Okinawa under 4th lot number
THE ASAHI SHIMBUN
August 29, 2021 at 17:00 JST
The city center of Naha, capital of Okinawa Prefecture (Asahi Shimbun file photo)
NAHA--A batch of COV19-19 vaccines manufactured by Moderna Inc. not covered by those suspended by the health ministry due to contamination fears turned out to be tainted, Okinawa prefectural authorities said late Aug. 28.
Following the discovery, officials canceled a mass vaccination of the Moderna vaccine at a site in Naha planned for late in the afternoon that day. They also called off a scheduled inoculation at the venue set for Aug. 29.
Officials said small black particles were detected in an opened vaccine vial as well as in two syringes loaded with the vaccine during the afternoon of Aug. 28.
They added that a foreign substance with a pinkish hue was detected in another syringe.
The contamination affected a batch with the lot number 3005293.
Nearly 900 doses of the same lot number were administered between Aug. 27 and Aug. 28 after health officials confirmed there was no irregularity in the vaccine.
Officials said they are not aware of any reports of health issues among those who received the shots.
They said 360 Moderna vaccine vials were distributed to the site. Officials have yet to confirm the safety of the vials that were not used.
The development followed the health ministry’s Aug. 26 decision to halt the rollout of the Moderna vaccine with the lot numbers 3004667, 3004734 and 3004956, after contamination was discovered in the vaccine produced under lot number 3004667.
The ministry also suspended the use of the product under the latter two lot numbers, citing fears of possible contamination.
The vaccines under the three lot numbers all came from the same production line of a Spanish factory.
Tainted Moderna vaccine found in Okinawa under 4th lot number
THE ASAHI SHIMBUN
August 29, 2021 at 17:00 JST
The city center of Naha, capital of Okinawa Prefecture (Asahi Shimbun file photo)
NAHA--A batch of COV19-19 vaccines manufactured by Moderna Inc. not covered by those suspended by the health ministry due to contamination fears turned out to be tainted, Okinawa prefectural authorities said late Aug. 28.
Following the discovery, officials canceled a mass vaccination of the Moderna vaccine at a site in Naha planned for late in the afternoon that day. They also called off a scheduled inoculation at the venue set for Aug. 29.
Officials said small black particles were detected in an opened vaccine vial as well as in two syringes loaded with the vaccine during the afternoon of Aug. 28.
They added that a foreign substance with a pinkish hue was detected in another syringe.
The contamination affected a batch with the lot number 3005293.
Nearly 900 doses of the same lot number were administered between Aug. 27 and Aug. 28 after health officials confirmed there was no irregularity in the vaccine.
Officials said they are not aware of any reports of health issues among those who received the shots.
They said 360 Moderna vaccine vials were distributed to the site. Officials have yet to confirm the safety of the vials that were not used.
The development followed the health ministry’s Aug. 26 decision to halt the rollout of the Moderna vaccine with the lot numbers 3004667, 3004734 and 3004956, after contamination was discovered in the vaccine produced under lot number 3004667.
The ministry also suspended the use of the product under the latter two lot numbers, citing fears of possible contamination.
The vaccines under the three lot numbers all came from the same production line of a Spanish factory.
Tainted Moderna vaccine found in Okinawa under 4th lot number
THE ASAHI SHIMBUN
August 29, 2021 at 17:00 JST
The city center of Naha, capital of Okinawa Prefecture (Asahi Shimbun file photo)
NAHA--A batch of COV19-19 vaccines manufactured by Moderna Inc. not covered by those suspended by the health ministry due to contamination fears turned out to be tainted, Okinawa prefectural authorities said late Aug. 28.
Following the discovery, officials canceled a mass vaccination of the Moderna vaccine at a site in Naha planned for late in the afternoon that day. They also called off a scheduled inoculation at the venue set for Aug. 29.
Officials said small black particles were detected in an opened vaccine vial as well as in two syringes loaded with the vaccine during the afternoon of Aug. 28.
They added that a foreign substance with a pinkish hue was detected in another syringe.
The contamination affected a batch with the lot number 3005293.
Nearly 900 doses of the same lot number were administered between Aug. 27 and Aug. 28 after health officials confirmed there was no irregularity in the vaccine.
Officials said they are not aware of any reports of health issues among those who received the shots.
They said 360 Moderna vaccine vials were distributed to the site. Officials have yet to confirm the safety of the vials that were not used.
The development followed the health ministry’s Aug. 26 decision to halt the rollout of the Moderna vaccine with the lot numbers 3004667, 3004734 and 3004956, after contamination was discovered in the vaccine produced under lot number 3004667.
The ministry also suspended the use of the product under the latter two lot numbers, citing fears of possible contamination.
The vaccines under the three lot numbers all came from the same production line of a Spanish factory.
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