Biden invokes federal law to broker Merck, J&J Covid vaccine manufacturing alliance March 3, 2021 Auto Bot BioPharma, Johnson & Johnson, Legal, Merck, Pharma, Vaccines 0 President Biden used the Defense Production Act to direct Merck to convert two of its facilities into production sites for Johnson & Johnson’s Covid-19 vaccine. In addition, he said J&J will run its own vaccine production sites 24/7.