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TOKYO (AP) – Japan suspended the use of around 1.63 million doses of Moderna vaccine on Thursday after contamination was found in unused vials, raising fears of a supply shortage as the country attempts to ” speed up vaccinations amid a wave of COVID-19.
The health ministry said contamination had been reported from several vaccination sites. Some doses may have been given, but no adverse health effects have been reported so far, officials said.
Takeda Pharmaceutical Co., a Japanese drug maker responsible for sales and distribution of the vaccine in Japan, said it has decided to suspend use of doses made in the same production line as a safety measure.
He asked Moderna to conduct an emergency investigation and told medical institutions and organizers to stop using the vaccine produced in Spain and shared production figures that could be affected.
The Ministry of Health and Takeda did not provide details on the type of contamination or whether the doses in question could have been distributed outside Japan.
The Moderna vaccine problem came just as Japan grapples with an increase in infections, with new cases every day reaching new heights in many parts of the country and straining the healthcare system.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato told reporters the government and Takeda are discussing ways to minimize the impact on immunization progress in Japan.
“We will do everything possible to avoid any impact on the progress of immunization, especially on construction sites and large-scale centers,” Kato said.
Japan depends entirely on vaccines developed overseas by Moderna, as well as Pfizer Inc. and AstraZeneca. Moderna has been present since mid-June in large-scale centers and workplace vaccinations and has helped accelerate the deployment in Japan.
About 43% of the Japanese population have been fully immunized, with daily doses of around 1 million.
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