According to an interview with the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, it was found that a foreign substance was mixed in a part of Moderna's new coronavirus vaccine, and it seems that the mixed metal was a particulate metal.
The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare is rushing to identify it as it has entered the manufacturing process.
Since the 16th of this month, foreign substances have been found in some of the unopened containers of the Moderna vaccine at eight inoculation sites nationwide.
Vaccines containing foreign substances are manufactured at a factory in Spain, and the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has contacted 863 venues nationwide from the morning of the 26th to suspend vaccination for 1.63 million vaccines manufactured at the same time at this factory. ..
According to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, the foreign matter found this time is in the form of particles and reacts with magnets, so it is considered to be made of metal.
We are rushing to identify foreign substances as if they had entered the manufacturing process, and we are investigating the details of the contamination.
According to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, there have been no reports of health hazards so far, and "even if an unopened vaccine is used for inoculation, it is considered that there will be no impact on safety or efficacy."
In addition, since vaccines other than vaccines that have not been used are manufactured by a different process, we are calling on local governments and medical institutions to proceed with vaccination as planned, saying that there is no risk of contamination at this time.
The lot number of the vaccine is
According to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, among the vaccines that were not used this time, the vaccine with lot number "3004667" was actually confirmed to be contaminated with foreign substances, and about 570,000 doses have been shipped domestically.
In addition, the vaccines with lot numbers "3004734" and "3004956" were manufactured at the same time and process at the factory in Spain where these vaccines were manufactured. The use is also suspended because the suspicion cannot be denied.
The number of shipments is about 520,000 for "3004734" and about 540,000 for "3004956".
US Moderna "Is it mixed in the manufacturing process at the Spanish factory?"
American pharmaceutical company Moderna said, "It was reported that some of the vaccines shipped to Japan contained particulate matter in containers. We believe that contamination occurred during the manufacturing process at the Spanish factory. No safety or efficacy issues have been identified so far. We will continue to investigate in cooperation with relevant parties. "
Takeda "Efforts to minimize the impact on inoculation"
According to Takeda Pharmaceutical Company, if the second inoculation scheduled for this use is postponed, the second inoculation can be received even if the standard inoculation interval of 4 weeks is exceeded. That is.
You don't have to retake the first vaccination, we want you to get the second vaccination as soon as possible.
Takeda Pharmaceutical Company said, "We will work with the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare to deal with the supply of alternatives, and will endeavor to minimize the impact on vaccination. We will work closely with Moderna and the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. We will endeavor to respond promptly. "
Chief Cabinet Secretary Kato "Working hard to ensure safety"
At a press conference, Chief Cabinet Secretary Kato said, "The details of the foreign matter and the cause of the contamination are currently being investigated by Moderna. Most of the lots have been distributed to large-scale inoculation venues and occupational inoculation venues. I know that the department has already been vaccinated, but the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare is not in a situation where it can be immediately grasped about the specific number of people. "
In addition, there have been no reports of specific cases of vaccination with foreign substances or health hazards caused by the foreign substances, and it seems that he felt uncomfortable. If so, I called on my doctor to talk to me.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Kato said, "Takeda Pharmaceutical Company and the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare continue to take measures to minimize the impact on vaccination, such as the supply of alternatives due to the suspension of use this time. We are working hard to ensure safety, so we would like to ask for your cooperation in vaccination. "