U.S. regulators on Monday added a new warning to Johnson &
Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine about links to a rare and potentially dangerous
neurological reaction, but said it’s not entirely clear the shot caused the
problem.
The Food and Drug Administration announced the new warning,
flagging reports of Guillain-Barre syndrome, an immune system disorder that can
causes muscle weakness and occasionally paralysis. Health officials described
the side effect as a “small possible risk” for those getting the shot.
The action comes after the FDA and the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention reviewed reports of about 100 people developing the
syndrome after receiving the one-dose vaccine. Almost all of were hospitalized
and one person died, the FDA said.
Guillain-Barre syndrome occurs when the body’s immune system
mistakenly attacks some of its nerve cells, causing muscle weakness and
sometimes paralysis that typically is temporary. An estimated 3,000 to 6,000
people develop the syndrome each year, according to the CDC.
The number of cases reported in connection with J&J’s
vaccine represents a tiny fraction of the nearly 13 million Americans who have
received the one-dose shot. Most cases were reported in men — many 50 years old
and up — and usually about two weeks after vaccination.
J&J said in a statement it has been discussing the reports
with the FDA and other health regulators around the world.
The CDC said it would ask its panel of outside vaccine experts
to review the issue at an upcoming meeting.
The government said the vaccines most used in the U.S., made by
Pfizer and Moderna, show no risk of the disorder after more than 320 million
doses have been administered.
The new warning will be included in pamphlets given to people
getting the J&J shot. They should seek medical attention if they experience
any symptoms, which include tingling sensations, trouble walking and double
vision, the FDA said.
Vaccines historically provide broad protection with little risk
but come with occasional side effects just like other drugs and medical
therapies. The three COVID-19 vaccines used in the U.S. were each tested in
tens of thousands of people, but even such huge studies can’t rule out extremely
rare side effects.
The CDC and the FDA have been monitoring side effect reports
submitted by physicians, drugmakers and patients to a federal vaccine safety
database.
Guillain-Barre can be triggered by a number of infections,
including flu, cytomegalovirus and Zika virus. But there have been rare cases
in which people develop the disorder days or weeks after receiving certain
vaccines.
J&J’s vaccine was highly anticipated because of its
one-and-done formulation and easy-to-ship refrigeration. But early on, it was
linked to another rare risk, of blood clots, and the company hasn’t been able
to produce as much as expected because of problems at a Baltimore factory that
helps make the shots.