Selangor Journal
Vials with a sticker reading “Covid-19/Coronavirus vaccine/Injection only” and a syringe are seen in front of a displayed Moderna logo in this illustration taken on October 31, 2020. — Picture by REUTERS

Moderna to recall Covid-19 doses in Japan over stainless steel contaminants

TOKYO, Sept 2 — Moderna Inc and Takeda Pharmaceutical Co Ltd said they are working with the Japanese government to recall three batches of Covid-19 vaccine after an investigation found stainless steel contaminants in some vials, Xinhua quoted a local media report Thursday.

The Health Ministry said Wednesday the foreign substances found in some vials of Moderna Inc’s vaccine distributed in Japan were confirmed to be stainless steel. Moderna said the stainless steel contamination probably occurred during production.

The most probable cause of contamination was related to friction between two pieces of metal in the machinery that puts stoppers on the vials, Moderna said in a joint statement with Takeda, which distributes the Moderna vaccine in Japan.

Moderna conducted the investigation in partnership with Takeda and Spanish manufacturer Rovi, which operates the plant where the contamination occurred.

Japan’s health ministry said, based on information from the companies’ investigation, that it did not believe the particles of stainless steel pose any additional health risk.

“Stainless steel is routinely used in heart valves, joint replacements and metal sutures and staples. As such, it is not expected that injection of the particles identified in these lots in Japan would result in increased medical risk,” Takeda and Moderna said in the joint statement.

Administration of Moderna shots totalling 1.63 million doses were halted in Japan last week after 39 vials were found to contain foreign material. All the vials came from a single lot, but shots from two other lots produced in the same Rovi manufacturing line were halted as a precaution.

The use of other Moderna vaccine doses from different batches were also temporarily suspended in three areas in Japan this week. In some cases, the foreign substances have been found in unused vials, while others appear to have been found when bits of the vials’ rubber stopper breaks off when needles are incorrectly inserted.

The contamination issue attracted more attention after the Health Ministry said on Saturday that two men, aged 38 and 30, died in August within days after getting their second Moderna doses. Each had received a dose from among the suspended lots.

The cause of death in the two cases is still under investigation. Takeda said there was no evidence the fatalities were triggered by the vaccine.

“It is more likely to be coincidental,” the company said in the statement.

— Bernama

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