CDC endorses advisory panel's recommendation expressing preference for mRNA COVID-19 vaccines over the Johnson & Johnson vaccine

An advisory panel to the Centers for Disease Control and prevention voted unanimously on Thursday to recommend mRNA COVID-19 vaccines as the "preferred" options compared to the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine, and the CDC has endorsed the panel's assessment.

Johnson & Johnson's Janssen vaccine has been linked to blood clots in some people.

The government has verified the clotting issue in 37 women and 17 men, and of nine people who have died, two were men, Dr. Isaac See of the CDC said, according to the Associated Press, which also reported that See noted that two more deaths are also suspected. NBC News reported that See told the committee that through late August, 54 cases of the problem were found following vaccination with the J&J vaccine.

The CDC reports that more than 16 million people have been fully vaccinated in the U.S. with the Johnson & Johnson Janssen vaccine, while more than 17 million doses have been administered.

While full vaccination with the J&J vaccine involves just one shot, full vaccination for the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines involves receiving two shots.

The CDC has endorsed the recommendation from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.

"ACIP’s unanimous recommendation followed a robust discussion of the latest evidence on vaccine effectiveness, vaccine safety and rare adverse events, and consideration of the U.S. vaccine supply. The U.S. supply of mRNA vaccines is abundant – with nearly 100 million doses in the field for immediate use," the CDC said.

"Given the current state of the pandemic both here and around the world, the ACIP reaffirmed that receiving any vaccine is better than being unvaccinated. Individuals who are unable or unwilling to receive an mRNA vaccine will continue to have access to Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine," the agency noted.