News Desk: Brazil’s federal health regulator Anvija has suspended the use of 12.1 million doses of the coronavirus vaccine produced by China’s Synovac Biotech Limited.
The doses were produced in an unauthorized factory, they said in a statement on Saturday.
On Friday, the Butaneten Institute, a biomedical organization in São Paulo, warned of the dosage, Anvija said.
The vaccine is contracted with the Butanten Institute, Synovac to be packaged locally in vials.
According to the company, 25 batches of vaccines sent to Brazil or 12 million doses were made in the factory.
“Anvija did not inspect the production unit and did not approve the emergency use of the vaccine,” Anvija said.
The decision was made to “avoid putting people at potential imminent risk,” the regulator said.
According to Anvija, Butanten also told them that 16 more batches of 9 million doses had been produced at the same factory and were on their way to Brazil.
During the 90-day suspension, Anvija would like to inspect the factory and conduct further inquiries into the safety of the production system, the regulator said.
When the vaccination program began in Brazil earlier this year, most of the vaccines approved were from Sinovac.
A total of 21,804 new coronavirus patients were diagnosed in Brazil on Saturday, and 692 died of Covid-19.
The total number of coronavirus patients identified in the country is 2 crore 8 lakh 8 thousand 84 people and so far 5 lakh 83 thousand 372 people have died.
