Johnson & Johnson Pauses COVID Vaccine Trials After ‘Unexplained Illness’

By Jeremy Loffredo
for Children's Health Defense

Johnson & Johnson temporarily paused Phase 3 clinical trials of its COVID-19 vaccine on Monday after one participant experienced what the company termed “an unexplained illness.”

The multinational maker of packaged consumer goods, medical devices and pharmaceuticals declined to provide details about the reaction or illness, leaving the public and thousands of other trial participants in the dark.

In a press release, the company said its decision to withhold details was made out of respect for the trial participant’s privacy. But the company also said the illness “might be related to a vaccine.”

According to Johnson & Johnson’s clinical trial guidelines, trials are paused only if participants experience a vaccine-related adverse event. The Phase 3 study began on Sept. 23 with researchers planning to enroll 60,000 participants in the U.S. and other countries.

In September, AstraZeneca paused its vaccine trial after a participant suffered symptoms consistent with transverse myelitis, a neurological disorder that can result in weakness of the limbs, problems emptying the bladder and paralysis.

AstraZeneca has since resumed clinical trials in the UK, Brazil, India and South Africa. But the trials remain on hold in the U.S.

Jeremy Loffredo is a reporter for Children’s Health Defense. 

Original article is here . . .