Johnson and Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine on hold after volunteer becomes sick

Johnson & Johnson isn’t disclosing the nature of the illness

(KYMA, KECY) - A second COVID-19 vaccine has been put on hold as Johnson & Johnson say it investigates whether a study participant's "unexplained illness" is related to the shot.

“It may have nothing to do with the vaccine,” Mathai Mammen, head of research and development for Janssen, Johnson & Johnson’s medicine development business, said Tuesday.

The Associated Press says Mammen doesn't know if the ill study participant received the experimental vaccine or a dummy shot.

The study of the vaccine, called ENSEMBLE, will be given to 60,000 people from multiple countries. Johnson and Johson expect the research to be conducted in two to three months.

Unlike a study hold imposed by government regulators, a pause is initiated by the sponsor of the drug trial and often can be quickly resolved.