Johnson & Johnson vaccine shelf life extended as millions of doses near expiration

June 10, 2021 Carley Shaffer US 0

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - MAY 21: Syringes with the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine are placed on a tray at a pop-up COVID-19 vaccination clinic at Larry Flynt's Hustler Club on May 21, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The club partnered with the Southern Nevada Health District to offer vaccine shots to staff, entertainers, patrons and the public. Those receiving their choice of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Johnson & Johnson shots received a gift package with an estimated value of USD 5,000, including free dances from a vaccinated entertainer, the club's platinum membership card, a free bottle, limousine service and tickets to the show "Sexxy After Dark by Jennifer Romas." (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Syringes with the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine are placed on a tray at a pop-up COVID-19 vaccination clinic at Larry Flynt’s Hustler Club on May 21, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 8:18 PM PT – Thursday, June 10, 2021

The Food and Drug Administration is extending the shelf life of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine from three months to four-and-a-half months. The drug manufacturer made the announcement on Thursday as nearly half of the 21 million doses of the vaccine remain unused and nearing expiration.

Safety concerns about the COVID-19 shot resulted in decreased demand, leaving at least 13 lots of the vaccine nearing expiration as soon as June 27.

White House senior adviser for coronavirus, Andrew Slavitt, stated they’re working aggressively to administer doses and encourage states to work with the FDA on storage solutions to extend shelf life.

FILE - Then-Acting Administrator of Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Andy Slavitt speaks at a news conference at the Treasury Department in Washington, Wednesday, June 22, 2016. Slavitt, the White House coronavirus adviser, said Tuesday, May 25, 2021 “we need to get to the bottom” of the origins of the pandemic pathogen and the World Health Organization and China need to do more to provide definitive answers for the global community. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, file)

Then-Acting Administrator of Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Andy Slavitt speaks at a news conference at the Treasury Department in Washington, Wednesday, June 22, 2016. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, file)

Federal officials are encouraging every governor who has doses that they worry may be expiring to work with the FDA directly on the proper storage procedures, as they continue to examine processes that will allow the doses to potentially last longer.