CDC Backs mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines Over Johnson & Johnson's, Citing Higher Rates Of Clotting Cases: Report

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer Inc PFE / BioNTech SE BNTX or Moderna Inc MRNA over Johnson & Johnson's JNJ, which has been linked to rare but serious blood clots.

• The CDC recommended following a 15 to 0 vote by advisers encouraging the use of vaccines other than J&J's.
• Earlier this week, the FDA announced revisions to JNJ shot's fact sheet to warn of the rare clotting syndrome. 
• Related Link: European Medicines Committee Backs Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 Booster Dose.
• According to a statement, J&J remains confident that its vaccine's benefits outweigh its risks. Studies have shown the shot "generates strong antibody and cellular immune response and long-lasting immune memory and breadth of protection across variants."
• The updated position is likely to deal another blow to using the J&J shot, whose uptake had been hurt by manufacturing issues and earlier reports of J&J vaccine recipients, especially women, experiencing blood clots combined with low blood platelet levels.
• The CDC said 54 clot cases had been confirmed in adults, including nine confirmed fatalities.
• The Company said that it would work with the CDC on the next steps and strongly supports education about rare events such as Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome and how to manage it.
• Price Action: PFE shares are down 2.68% at $59.61, BNTX stock is -3.74% at $275.07, MRNA shares are down 1.82% at $276.88, and JNJ stock is down 2% at $159.55 during the premarket session on the last check Friday.
• Photo by Spencer Davis from Pixabay