The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized a three month extension of the shelf life for the Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) COVID-19 vaccine from six months to nine months.
COVID-19 vaccines with an emergency use authorization do not have fixed expiration dates, and the dates can be extended as more stability data is received and analyzed, according to the FDA. Ongoing stability assessment studies have demonstrated the vaccine remains safe and effective for administration at least nine months when maintained at refrigerator temperatures of 36 to 46 degrees Fahrenheit (2 to 8 degrees Celsius), according to the FDA.
This extension applies to any doses in unopened, unpunctured vials maintained at proper refrigerator temperatures that were set to expire on March 7, 2022, or later.
How to Determine the New Expiration Date
The vials and cartons do not contain a printed expiration date. Vaccine providers should confirm the expiration date before administration by visiting the Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine Expiry Checker webpage.
The FDA advises vaccine providers check the manufacturer’s website for each lot before administration to obtain the most up-to-date expiration dates for COVID-19 vaccines in storage. Vaccine administrators can enter the vaccine lot number into the Johnson & Johnson Expiry Checker website or by phone using an automated response system by calling 800.565.4008. This process should take less than one minute to complete. Please visit the Janssen website for providers for step-by-step instructions, including a video, about how to obtain the expiration date by website using a mobile or desktop device or by phone, including an option to scan the data matrix code on the back of the carton.
- With every new lot, check the expiration date before the first patient administration.
- Continue to follow a “first-in-first-out” approach to use oldest vaccine doses first.
- Prior to discarding any doses, please confirm the expiration date.
- Expired vaccine should be removed immediately from storage units that contain viable vaccine to avoid inadvertently administering those doses.
- Discard unused doses according to state and federal regulations. For more information about disposing of infectious waste, visit the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency website.