Japan suspended the use of approximately 1.63 million doses of the Moderna vaccine Thursday after contamination was found in vials.
According to Japan’s health ministry, dozens of contaminated vials were found at multiple vaccine sites. They said they believe that some of the contaminated doses were administered to people, but have no way of knowing exactly how many.
The drugmaker, Takeda Pharmaceutical Co., which is in charge of sales and distribution of the vaccine, suspended the use of doses.
Moderna will now conduct an emergency investigation.
According to the health ministry, medical institutions and organizers have been ordered to stop using the vaccine produced in Spain.
The ministry would not comment on what type of contamination was found in the unopen vials.