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June 10, 2021Longer Shelf Life Authorized for Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 Vaccine
June 10, 2021 – The U.S. FDA has authorized an extension to the shelf life for Johnson & Johnson’s (J&J) COVID-19 vaccine, manufactured by J&J subsidiary Janssen Pharmaceutical. The vaccine can now be kept at refrigerator temperatures of 2°-8° Celsius (36°-46° Fahrenheit) for 4.5 months. It was previously authorized to be kept in refrigerated storage for up to three months.
In ongoing stability studies, the vaccine has remained shelf stable at refrigerated temperatures for the newly authorized duration. The updated shelf life may help alleviate concerns over potentially wasted J&J vaccines, as a recent decrease in demand for the product has led to a larger than anticipated stockpile. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), roughly half of the 21.4 million J&J doses delivered to states have been used.
The J&J COVID-19 vaccine currently holds emergency use authorization (EUA) to prevent COVID-19 in individuals who are at least 18 years old.