The United States Supreme Court on May 17, 2021 denied certiorari, that is denied review of the $70 million verdict against Janssen, a Johnson & Johnson unit for Pennsylvania male who grew enlarged breast due to taking Risperdal.
Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc. et al. v. A.Y. et al., # 20-1069, Supreme Court of the United States.
On May 10, another milestone occurred in the quest to prevent coronavirus disease commonly known as COVID-19. FDA gave the go ahead for expanded emergency use authorization (EUA) to Pfizer-BioNTech for the adolescent age group from ages 12 though 15.
According to FDA, approximately 1.5million cases of COVID-19 have occurred in that age group from March 1, 2020 through April 30, 2021.
Acting FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock, M.D. “Today’s action allows for a younger population to be protected from COVID-19, bringing us closer to returning to a sense of normalcy and to ending the pandemic. Parents and guardians can rest assured that the agency undertook a rigorous and thorough review of all available data, as we have with all of our COVID-19 vaccine emergency use authorizations.”
Further, on May 10, FDA recently updated the Fact Sheets for Vaccine Providers, Recipients and Caregivers- direct links:
Healthcare Providers: https://www.fda.gov/media/144413/download
Recipients and Caregivers: https://www.fda.gov/media/144414/download
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/acip/index.html
The committee voted 10 to 4 to recommend use of the vaccine, with one abstention.
Meeting convened on April 23 and link above contains presentation slides.
NOTE: CDC Panel Members proposed that the FDA include a warning label that in rare cases the vaccine has caused clotting in women under 50.
FDA Press Release
For Immediate Release:February 27, 2021
On Feb. 27 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued an #emergency use authorization (EUA) for the third vaccine for the prevention of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The EUA allows the Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine to be distributed in the U.S for use in individuals 18 years of age and older.
“The authorization of this vaccine expands the availability of vaccines, the best medical prevention method for COVID-19, to help us in the fight against this pandemic, which has claimed over half a million lives in the United States,” said Acting FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock, M.D. “The FDA, through our open and transparent scientific review process, has now authorized three COVID-19 vaccines with the urgency called for during this pandemic, using the agency’s rigorous standards for safety, effectiveness and manufacturing quality needed to support emergency use authorization.”
The FDA has determined that the Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine has met the statutory criteria for issuance of an EUA. The totality of the available data provides clear evidence that the Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine may be effective in preventing COVID-19. The data also show that the vaccine’s known and potential benefits outweigh its known and potential risks, supporting the company’s request for the vaccine’s use in people 18 years of age and older. In making this determination, the FDA can assure the public and medical community that it has conducted a thorough evaluation of the available safety, effectiveness and manufacturing quality information.
The Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine is manufactured using a specific type of virus called adenovirus type 26 (Ad26). The vaccine uses Ad26 to deliver a piece of the DNA, or genetic material, that is used to make the distinctive “spike” protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. While adenoviruses are a group of viruses that are relatively common, Ad26, which can cause cold symptoms and pink eye, has been modified for the vaccine so that it cannot replicate in the human body to cause illness. After a person receives this vaccine, the body can temporarily make the spike protein, which does not cause disease, but triggers the immune system to learn to react defensively, producing an immune response against SARS-CoV-2.
“After a thorough analysis of the data, the FDA’s scientists and physicians have determined that the vaccine meets the FDA’s expectations for safety and effectiveness appropriate for the authorization of a vaccine for emergency use,” said Peter Marks, M.D., Ph.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. “With today’s authorization, we are adding another vaccine in our medical toolbox to fight this virus. At the same time, the American people can be assured of the FDA’s unwavering commitment to public health through our comprehensive and rigorous evaluation of the data submitted for vaccines to prevent COVID-19.”
FDA Evaluation of Available Safety Data
The Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine is administered as a single dose. The available safety data to support the EUA include an analysis of 43,783 participants enrolled in an ongoing randomized, placebo-controlled study being conducted in South Africa, certain countries in South America, Mexico, and the U.S. The participants, 21,895 of whom received the vaccine and 21,888 of whom received saline placebo, were followed for a median of eight weeks after vaccination. The most commonly reported side effects were pain at the injection site, headache, fatigue, muscle aches and nausea. Most of these side effects were mild to moderate in severity and lasted 1-2 days.
As part of the authorization, the FDA notes that it is mandatory for Janssen Biotech Inc. and vaccination providers to report the following to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) for Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine: serious adverse events, cases of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome and cases of COVID-19 that result in hospitalization or death.
It is also mandatory for vaccination providers to report all vaccine administration errors to VAERS for which they become aware and for Janssen Biotech Inc. to include a summary and analysis of all identified vaccine administration errors in monthly safety reports submitted to the FDA.
EMAIL HMKUBAL@WIDENER.EDU TO RESERVE YOUR SPOT
FDA Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC)to consider request by Janssen Biotech Inc.’s division of J&J. According to Acting FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock, M.D.
“A public discussion by the advisory committee members about the data submitted in support of safety and effectiveness of Janssen Biotech Inc.’s COVID-19 vaccine will help ensure that the public has a clear understanding of the scientific data and information that FDA will evaluate in order to make a decision about whether to authorize this vaccine,” “The FDA remains committed to keeping the public informed about our evaluation of the data for COVID-19 vaccines, so that the American public and medical community have trust and confidence in FDA-authorized vaccines.”
FEB. 26 VRBPAC meeting will be livestreamed on YouTube, Facebook and Twitter channels and webcast the FDA website
Stayed tuned for Federal Register Notice for comment submission.
#JanetWoodcock, MD tapped for interim FDA Commissioner
FDA Career started in mid 1980’s; Director Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER), Operation Warp Speed
#FDACommisioner, #FDA
#COVID-19, #Moderna, #modernavaccine
FDA Emergency Use Authorization—Another milestone to combat the COVID-19 pandemic: FDA gave the green light by granting an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) to ModernaTX, Inc. (Moderna) for its vaccine. Here is the link to the official FDA Press release: https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-takes-additional-action-fight-against-covid-19-issuing-emergency-use-authorization-second-covid
Letter of Authorization: https://www.fda.gov/media/144636/download
Why Emergency Use? This is because of the declaration under the PREP Act, which back in the winter of 2020, Health and Human Secretary Alex Azar II officially declared the COVID-19 a pandemic. The FDA grant of emergency use is critical because it allows the use of the unapproved yet authorized vaccine to travel in interstate commerce in essence as an unapproved drug.
Declaration Under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act for Medical Countermeasures Against COVID-19 Health and Human Secretary Azar declared a public health emergency pursuant to section 319 of the PHS Act, for the entire United States to aid in the nation’s health care community response to the COVID-19 outbreak. Azar issued a Declaration pursuant to section 319F-3 of the Public Health Service Act (codified above) to provide liability immunity for activities related to medical countermeasures against COVID-19. See 85 FR 15198 (March 17, 2020) retroactive and renewed effective date Oct. 23, 2020. (U.S.Department of Health and Human Services, Determination of a Public Health Emergency and Declaration that Circumstances Exist Justifying Authorizations Pursuant to Section 564(b) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, 21 U.S.C. § 360bbb-3. February 4, 2020).
This is the second vaccine (Pfizer BioNTech the first) authorized for the prevention of COVID-19, which is a severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The emergency use authorization allows the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine to be distributed in the U.S. for use in individuals 18 years of age and older.
Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) for Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine: According to FDA Moderna is required to report serious adverse events, cases of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome (MIS), and cases of COVID-19 that result in hospitalization or death.
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