CDC advisers reconvene to weigh next steps on Johnson & Johnson vaccine after rare blood clots

A federal vaccine advisory committee that reconvened Friday to discuss next steps for Johnson & Johnson's coronavirus vaccine heard data about 15 confirmed cases of the rare and severe blood clots that prompted federal officials to recommend last week that states pause use of the vaccine.

All the cases were in women, including three who died and seven who remain in the hospital. The 15 cases include the six cases of blood clots previously identified by officials in women between the ages of 18 and 48. The 15 cases were identified among nearly 8 million doses of the vaccine administered as of April 21. Officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention who presented the data Friday said it was too early to conclude that the incidents affected only women and said a few cases in men were being reviewed.