Millions of Johnson & Johnson Vaccine Doses Ruined Due to Factory Mix-Up Approximately 15 million doses of the vaccine had to be disposed after workers conflated the ingredients.

By Justin Chan

Nearly 15 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine were lost several weeks ago after workers at a Baltimore plant confused the ingredients, according to the New York Times.

Federal officials said that employees at Emergent BioSolutions — a manufacturer that works with both Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca — conflated the pharmaceutical companies' technologies used to create vaccines. Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca employ different methods of inserting a harmless version of the Covid-19 virus into cells that then create a protein that stimulates the immune system to produce antibodies.

Related: FDA Says Johnson & Johnson's One-Dose Vaccine Is Safe and Effective

The Times reports that the mix-up went unnoticed for days until Johnson & Johnson conducted a quality control check. Upon realizing the error, the pharmaceutical company purportedly quarantined the doses and notified federal regulators. Authorities have since delayed the authorization of Emergent's production line as they carry out their investigation.

According to the paper, Johnson & Johnson is now working with Emergent to ensure the mishap doesn't occur again and has sent more staff members to Emergent's Baltimore plant to monitor vaccine production. About 24 million doses of the vaccine were expected to come from the plant this month — a commitment Johnson & Johnson believes it can still fulfill.

Regardless, authorities reportedly said they don't believe the error will impact President Joe Biden's goal to deliver enough vaccines to immunize every adult by the end of May.

While Johnson & Johnson is still lagging in its production of the vaccine, Pfizer is shipping doses ahead of schedule and Moderna is close to increasing the number of doses it can deliver in bundles.

Wavy Line
Justin Chan

Entrepreneur Staff

News Writer

Justin Chan is a news writer at Entrepreneur.com. Previously, he was a trending news editor at Verizon Media, where he covered entrepreneurship, lifestyle, pop culture, and tech. He was also an assistant web editor at Architectural Record, where he wrote on architecture, travel, and design. Chan has additionally written for Forbes, Reader's Digest, Time Out New YorkHuffPost, Complex, and Mic. He is a 2013 graduate of Columbia Journalism School, where he studied magazine journalism. Follow him on Twitter at @jchan1109.

Editor's Pick

A Father Decided to Change When He Was in Prison on His Son's Birthday. Now His Nonprofit Helps Formerly Incarcerated Applicants Land 6-Figure Jobs.
Lock
A Teen Turned His Roblox Side Hustle Into a Multimillion-Dollar Company — Now He's Working With Karlie Kloss and Elton John
Lock
3 Mundane Tasks You Should Automate to Save Your Brain for the Big Stuff
Lock
The Next Time Someone Intimidates You, Here's What You Should Do
5 Ways to Manage Your Mental Health and Regulate Your Nervous System for Sustainable Success

Related Topics

Business News

After Being Told They Could Work From Home Forever, Employees Made Major Life Changes. Then, a New CEO Ordered Them Back to the Office.

Farmers Group CEO Raul Vargas is facing backlash for the change, but he says being in the office brings more "collaboration" and "innovation."

Marketing

5 Ways to Build and Maintain Valuable Relationships With Journalists — and Why It Matters

Building genuine relationships with journalists is essential in today's digital media world.

Business News

Uber Eats Deliveries Are Flooding a Los Angeles Neighborhood — Except No One Knows Who Placed the Orders

Residents of L.A.'s Highland Park neighborhood are once again the target of dozens of unsolicited Uber Eats orders. The "annoying and somewhat disturbing" mystery is gripping the city.

Business News

Hedge Fund Pays NYC Interns $20,000 a Month on Average, Sent to Lavish Palm Beach Kickoff

Citadel is known for its over-the-top parties and company retreats.

Business News

Pete Davidson Says He's 'Figuring It Out' After Buying a $280,000 Boat While 'Very Stoned'

The former "Saturday Night Live" star purchased a used Staten Island Ferry with Colin Jost in January 2022.

Money & Finance

3 Secrets to Streamlining Your Accounts Payable Process

Not all AP automation software is created equal. Leveraging the right AP solution that aligns with your unique vision and available resources will ensure your business grows without compromising its individuality.