FDA Restricts Who Can Receive Johnson & Johnson Vaccine

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration placed limits Thursday on who can receive Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine, saying only certain adults should get the shot because of the potential for rare blood clots.

The agency said only adults who cannot or will not get the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines should receive the J&J shot, citing new data showing a risk of ‘life-threatening blood clots.’

Though some Americans sought out the J&J vaccine because it only required one dose, there has been an ongoing conversation about the shot’s efficacy and risks. The FDA’s announcement follows a December recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control that Americans get the Pfizer or Moderna shots instead of J&J’s vaccine.