Taiwan health authorities say they are carrying out routine checks on the country’s newly-arrived Moderna COVID-19 vaccine doses. That comes after reports from Japan of contaminants in some vials.
Last Thursday, Japan suspended the use of about 1.6 million doses of Moderna due to possible contamination. But Japanese authorities say the suspension was just a precaution as no safety or efficacy problems had been confirmed.
Japanese public broadcaster NHK cites health ministry sources saying that the contaminants are thought to be metallic particles.
Moderna and Spanish company Rovi, which bottles Moderna vaccines for markets outside the US, says the contamination could be due to a manufacturing issue in one of Rovi's production lines. The production lot in question and the two adjacent ones have been put on hold.
Taiwan’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says that Taiwan’s Moderna vaccine doses are not from the same batch as Japan’s doses. However, FDA official Wang Der-yuan says that Taiwan’s doses could be from the same factory as Japan’s.
The FDA says it will continue to examine Taiwan's Moderna doses closely as it carries out routine checks on the latest vaccine delivery from The Czech Republic. The inspections are set to be completed by September 6.