Trump and Biden officials knew about quality-control problems at the Baltimore facility that ruined 15 million COVID-19 vaccine doses, report says
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- Senior Trump and Biden officials knew about issues at a Baltimore vaccine plant, per Politico.
- Trump officials were reportedly given a report warning about the plant last June, and Biden officials got it later.
- The plant unknowingly cross-contaminated some 15 million doses of J&J's vaccine with AstraZeneca's in February.
- See more stories on Insider's business page.
Senior officials in the Trump and Biden administrations knew for months that there were issues with the Baltimore plant that botched 15 million doses of Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine, Politico reported.
Citing two people with direct knowledge of the issue and an internal report, Politico reported that a document detailing issues with the Emergent BioSolutions plant was sent to Trump officials working on vaccines in June 2020.
The report, produced by a government official, said Emergent BioSolutions' plan to make the vaccine wasn't enough. It was later given to the Biden administration during the presidential transition, Politico reported.
The report warned that the plant did not have enough staff who could properly oversee vaccine production, and that it had issues with hiring and retaining workers, Politico reported.
Insider has contacted the White House for comment.
The Emergent BioSolutions plant had unknowingly cross-contaminated some 15 million doses of the J&J vaccine with AstraZeneca's earlier this year.
The New York Times reported on Tuesday that another 62 million doses of J&J's vaccine may also be contaminated. If they are contaminated, they can't be used.
The Associated Press also reported that the factory previously cited by the Food and Drug Administration for issues like mold and cracked vials.
The White House, Johnson & Johnson, and the Department of Health and Human Services have not responded to Politico's requests for comment, and Emergent declined to comment to the outlet.
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