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Can't Be Used

The US Food and Drug Administration has determined that millions of doses of Johnson & Johnson's SARS-CoV-2 vaccine manufactured at an embattled plant cannot be used, the New York Times reports.

In April, the Wall Street Journal reported that the FDA had uncovered issues with sanitation and cross-contamination at an Emergent BioSolutions facility in Baltimore that was manufacturing SARS-CoV-2 vaccines from both J&J and AstraZeneca. The Times additionally reported then that 15 millions doses of the J&J vaccine were contaminated with the one from AstraZeneca and had to be destroyed. But the destiny of tens of millions of other doses was unclear, as they had to undergo testing.

According to the Times, the FDA has decided that about 60 million of those doses from J&J cannot be used, but, as CNBC adds, two batches totaling 10 million doses can be used and are to be distributed in the US and abroad with a label noting that the FDA could not guarantee the manufacturer followed good manufacturing practices. CNBC adds that the agency has also not yet given the plant the go-ahead to re-open.

Some 70 million doses of AstraZeneca's vaccine made at the plant remain to be evaluated for possible use, according to the Times.

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