The uncertain fate of 120 million doses of Japanese vaccines ordered

The Japanese government has not yet authorized the deployment of AstraZeneca’s vaccine, although the country has agreed to buy 120 million doses.
Japan’s Ministry of Health acknowledged that AstraZeneca’s vaccine was 70.42% effective in clinical trials and expressed hope that it would limit the spread of coronavirus, but has not yet authorized its use in vaccinations. the entire population, at least for the time being.

Tokyo’s overlapping messages have drawn criticism, as the country lags behind countries like the US in vaccinations. Japan has recorded about 695,000 new coronavirus infections and 12,000 deaths. The country is facing a new wave of infections in the context of the Tokyo Olympics approaching. Many Japanese prefectures are still in a state of emergency to limit the spread. Tokyo has contracts with three suppliers, under which it will have 120 million doses of AstraZeneca, 50 million doses of Moderna (to be completed by the end of September) and is negotiating an additional 50 million doses, along with 194 doses of Pfizer calculated. until the end of this year. With this number, Japan will have enough vaccine to vaccinate the entire population of 126 million people, according to Japan Times . On May 21, the country approved the use of the Moderna vaccine for people 18 years of age and older, but AstraZeneca has not yet been approved for the public. The Japanese government’s vaccination program is using the Pfizer vaccine, while the Moderna vaccine will be rolled out from next week in Tokyo and Osaka. Many concerns when using vaccines The biggest barrier to new vaccine doses available in Japan is the screening process, which evaluates efficacy and safety based on clinical trial data. Like other covid-19 vaccines, doses of AstraZeneca are classified as an emergency measure in pandemic response in Japan, used only when the Health Ministry allows the city governments. The licensing action requires a separate approval process, which includes a subcommittee on vaccines from the Ministry of Health meeting to discuss the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine in Japan in a broader context based on: fruit; alternatives from Pfizer and Moderna; Japanese immunization schedule and potential side effects. Pfizer’s covid-19 vaccine is shipped in Tokyo, Japan, February 16. Photo: AP. However, the road to deploying vaccines in the real world is still fraught with thorns, due to growing concerns about potential side effects of vaccines. There have been reports of a small number of people receiving the AstraZeneca vaccine developing blood clots, including in some cases death. This condition usually occurs in younger age groups. The UK reported 79 cases of AstraZeneca vaccination at the end of March, out of 20.2 million doses administered. As a result, 19 people died, of which 11 were under the age of 50. This has led some countries to restrict vaccination of the elderly – a direction that seems unlikely for Japan. The plan is still open Japan has given the Pfizer vaccine to the elderly and will start providing the Moderna vaccine at mass vaccination sites on May 24. The country has guaranteed enough doses for more than 122 million people, of which more than 110 million people aged 16 and over are allowed to receive the vaccine. Vaccination site for people 65 and older in Otsu, Shiga Prefecture, Japan on April 12. Photo: Kyodo. Given that Japan already has sufficient supplies for the vaccination campaign for the elderly, with a goal of completing it by the end of July, the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine for this age group in Japan is unlikely. On May 21, the vaccine subcommittee continued to discuss what should be done with the AstraZeneca vaccine. It is not yet clear when a decision will be made on the matter, the Health Ministry said. With so many people waiting to be vaccinated, one expert argues that the government should not ignore any vaccine. Otherwise, the Japanese public, with the exception of the elderly, will not receive any vaccines until the fall. “We may not even get there by the end of the year,” Gakushuin University economics professor Wataru Suzuki wrote in a commentary for Nikkei . “Certainly people who want to be protected from the virus as soon as possible have a need to be vaccinated, similar to those who want a vaccine passport to be able to travel abroad on business, and the Ministry of Health is going too far by how to eliminate options,” he argued. Where will 120 million doses go? The Japanese government has reached an agreement to purchase 120 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, all manufactured in Japan, using undiluted solutions from the United States. Of these, 30 million will be manufactured by Daiichi Sankyo and KM Biologics, and 90 million doses will be manufactured by JCR Pharmaceuticals. However, it is not clear how many of these vaccines have been produced Nikkei Asia. Imports and production begin this spring. Daiichi Sankyo and KM are both preparing to ship the vaccine once it is approved by the government. The mid-range drug maker has started production using equipment and technology from AstraZeneca. JCR has announced plans to build a new factory. The US and Japan will have to find a way to handle the 120 million doses of the coronavirus vaccine developed by the Universities of Oxford and AstraZeneca without any plans to use them. Photo: Reuters. AstraZeneca says its completed vaccine can be stored in the refrigerator for at least half a year at 2-8 degrees Celsius. It’s uncertain at this point how many vaccines are ready to be manufactured. If there is no decision on where to use the vaccine in the next six months, the stockpile could expire. The US has yet to start rolling out the AstraZeneca vaccine. However, the country has agreed to purchase 300 million doses and already has shipments ready to deliver. Currently, the US plans to ship the unused vaccine elsewhere.