mobile-addesktop-ad

ADVERTISEMENT

BREAKING: FDA panel votes against approving Pfizer COVID-19 boosters

The FDA panel voted 16 - 2 against the proposal, stating that they need more data.

ADVERTISEMENT
Image
Hannah Nightingale Washington DC
ADVERTISEMENT

On Friday, an influential Food and Drug Administration advisory committee voted against approving administering booster shots of Pfizer and BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine to the general public. According to CNBC, the FDA panel voted 16 - 2 against the proposal, stating that they need more data.

The possibility of booster shots for older populations is still there, with scientists continuing to debate about the need for a third dose after the initial vote.

"It's likely beneficial, in my opinion, for the elderly, and may eventually be indicated for the general population. I just don't think we're there yet in terms of the data," said Dr. Ofer Levy after the initial vote. The vote comes as the Biden administration had previously stated that it wanted to start offering booster shots to the general public by next week, pending authorization from the FDA.

According to CNBC, the decision by the FDA's Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee is nonbonding. The agency has gone against the advice of the committee on occasion, but generally follows it.

A final FDA decision could come later Friday, with the CDC also scheduling a two-day meeting next week to discuss plans to distribute the third shots across the US.

An FDA advisory panel later on Friday endorsed emergency approval for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine booster shot for Americans ages 65 years and older and patients at high risk of severe COVID-19. That vote was 18 - 0.

During the deliberations, FDA panel members suggested older, vulnerable populations may benefit from boosters, but noted insufficient data among younger groups and concerns over potential increased risk for heart inflammation, particularly among males ages 16 to 17, according to Fox News.

The committee was charged with voting whether the safety and effectiveness data from Pfizer's clinical trial supported approval of the company's booster dose among patients 16 years and older. The meeting included members of the FDA's Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee, (VRBPAC), as well as officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), lsrael’s Health Ministry, vaccine experts and Pfizer representatives.

Dr. William Gruber, senior vice president of vaccine clinical research and development at Pfizer, noted Phase 3 trial data indicating waning protection over time, from 96 percent vaccine efficacy within two months after the second dose to about 84 percent by six months and amid the Delta variant. While protection dropped against infections, it remained effective in preventing hospitalizations.

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Join and support independent free thinkers!

We’re independent and can’t be cancelled. The establishment media is increasingly dedicated to divisive cancel culture, corporate wokeism, and political correctness, all while covering up corruption from the corridors of power. The need for fact-based journalism and thoughtful analysis has never been greater. When you support The Post Millennial, you support freedom of the press at a time when it's under direct attack. Join the ranks of independent, free thinkers by supporting us today for as little as $1.

Support The Post Millennial

Remind me next month

To find out what personal data we collect and how we use it, please visit our Privacy Policy

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
By signing up you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy
ADVERTISEMENT
© 2024 The Post Millennial, Privacy Policy | Do Not Sell My Personal Information