Japan recalls 1.63 million Moderna vaccine doses due to contamination

Tokyo, Aug 26 (EFE).- Japan on Thursday suspended the use of 1.63 million doses of the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine after finding foreign substances in the vials, the health ministry announced.

A ministry spokesperson confirmed to EFE that the three vaccine lots that were withdrawn were manufactured in a plant in Spain.

Japanese pharmaceutical company Takeda, which is in charge of the distribution and sale of the Moderna vaccine in the country, said in a statement on Wednesday that “foreign substances” were found in unused vials of a specific lot at multiple vaccination sites.

For this reason, the use of three lots of vaccines from the same plant has been suspended since a risk of contamination cannot be ruled out, the ministry said on Thursday.

The ministry pointed out that the 1.63 million withdrawn doses were produced in the same plant and at the same time in Spain, and correspond to lot numbers 3004667, 3004734 and 3004956.

Takeda has asked Moderna to conduct an urgent investigation into the matter. EFE

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