Local12: Is the Johnson & Johnson vaccine less effective than Pfizer's and Moderna's?
UC expert says it's important to make sure the comparison is 'apples to apples'
The latest testing on the efficacy for the Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine shows that it's not as effective as two other vaccines already being distributed.
Pfizer's and Moderna's vaccines are 90% and 95% effective, respectively. Johnson and Johnson's trials proved 66% effective worldwide, and 72% effective in the United States.
WKRC-TV, Local12, turned to Carl Fichtenbaum, MD, of the UC College of Medicine Division of Infectious Diseases to get his expert take on this news. Fichtenbaum told the TV station that it's important to be sure "we're comparing apples to apples and oranges to oranges."
Carl Fichtenbaum, MD, of the UC College of Medicine Division of Infectious Diseases/Photo/Colleen Kelley/UC Creative + Brand
He added that the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines were tested before the latest variants appeared, and Johnson & Johnson's initial trials were for just one dose; it's currently undergoing trials for a two-dose regimen.
"So, if I have the opportunity to get the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and I don't have any other opportunities, I'm going to take it, because it's safe. It's not going to hurt me," said Fichtenbaum. "It may or may not be as good as another vaccine. We don't know yet, but at least it's a vaccine I can get right now."
Fichtenbaum was also interviewed by WLWT-TV on the same subject. You can see that story here.
Lead image: Reuters/Dado Ruvic
Next Lives Here
The University of Cincinnati is classified as a Research 1 institution by the Carnegie Commission and is ranked in the National Science Foundation's Top-35 public research universities. UC's medical, graduate and undergraduate students and faculty investigate problems and innovate solutions with real-world impact. Next Lives Here.
Related Stories
Sugar overload killing hearts
November 10, 2025
Two in five people will be told they have diabetes during their lifetime. And people who have diabetes are twice as likely to develop heart disease. One of the deadliest dangers? Diabetic cardiomyopathy. But groundbreaking University of Cincinnati research hopes to stop and even reverse the damage before it’s too late.
Is going nuclear the solution to Ohio’s energy costs?
November 10, 2025
The Ohio Capital Journal recently reported that as energy prices continue to climb, economists are weighing the benefits of going nuclear to curb costs. The publication dove into a Scioto Analysis survey of 18 economists to weigh the pros and cons of nuclear energy. One economist featured was Iryna Topolyan, PhD, professor of economics at the Carl H. Lindner College of Business.
App turns smartwatch into detector of structural heart disease
November 10, 2025
An app that uses an AI model to read a single-lead ECG from a smartwatch can detect structural heart disease, researchers reported at the 2025 Scientific Sessions of the American Heart Association. Although the technology requires further validation, researchers said it could help improve the identification of patients with heart failure, valvular conditions and left ventricular hypertrophy before they become symptomatic, which could improve the prognosis for people with these conditions.