The European Union thanks for purchasing 100 million Janssen vaccines, insiders say to Reuters news agency. Another 100 million doses could potentially be purchased but then donated to poorer parts of the world.
The EU has agreed with manufacturer Johnson & Johnson, the parent company of the Leiden Janssen that developed the vaccine, that it will supply 200 million doses anyway. Brussels was given an option on another 200 million. But the high expectations of the vaccine have cooled somewhat.
As with the AstraZeneca vaccine, there appeared to be an albeit minimal chance of a dangerous side effect. And the supply is difficult due to, among other things, a mistake in an American factory.
Therefore, the EU is not making use of the option, which it can exercise until the end of June, according to Reuters sources.
According to a spokesperson for the European Commission, no decision has been made yet, and the EU countries are still discussing it. According to him, if the EU waives the claim, that would not mean that the union would no longer work with Janssen.
Millions of Janssen vaccines are still being held because they may have become contaminated in a US factory. The transmission has been blocked pending investigation by the US regulator, but that is pending.