Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine benefits 'far outweigh' risks: CDC

The benefits of the Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine far outweigh its potential risks amid an ongoing review of reports of a rare neurological disorder, according to an advisory panel to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Thursday.

There have been 8.1 cases of Guillain-Barre syndrome per 1 million doses, which is higher than expected in the general population and close to eight times the rate seen in Pfizer's and Moderna's shots, according to data presented at a meeting of CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices on Thursday.

Guillain-Barre is a neurological disorder in which the body's immune system damages nerve cells, causing muscle weakness and sometimes paralysis, according to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The data came after the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a new warning on July 12 for the Johnson & Johnson shot after preliminary reports of Guillain-Barre syndrome in some recipients, the Xinhua news agency reported.

About 100 preliminary reports of Guillain-Barre syndrome have been detected in vaccine recipients after the administration of 12.8 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine in the US, according to the FDA.

Of these reported cases, 95 were serious and required hospitalisation, and one was dead.