Reuters
Published Sep 22, 2021 10:41AM ET
Updated Sep 22, 2021 02:51PM ET
By Julie Steenhuysen
(Reuters) -A U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advisory panel could vote on the use of a third shot of Pfizer Inc (NYSE:PFE) and partner BioNTech SE (NASDAQ:BNTX)'s COVID-19 vaccine on Thursday, an agency official said at a public meeting of the panel on Wednesday.
The CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) is meeting on Sept 22-23 to weigh which populations would most benefit from a third shot as it awaits a decision on authorization by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Pfizer has asked the FDA to approve the third shot for all people aged 16 and over, but a panel of outside advisors to the FDA last Friday said there was only evidence for a shot being needed by people aged 65 and older. The FDA has not yet said how it plans to proceed.
The CDC panel considered presentations from staff showing how the vaccine worked in different age groups and populations, including older adults, those whose jobs put them at increased risk for exposure such as healthcare workers, and adults with underlying medical conditions.
Several of the presentations showed vaccine efficacy in older adults against hospitalization was falling, impacted both by the Delta variant and possible waning of vaccine efficacy over time.
Pfizer officials reviewed the case it presented last week to the FDA advisory panel arguing that a booster is needed for all populations.
CDC staff also reviewed U.S. studies on vaccine effectiveness across U.S. populations and found significant declines in effectiveness against infection for vaccines based on messenger RNA technology during the period when the Delta variant was predominant.
The studies also showed protection from hospitalization declined more in those vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine than the one made by Moderna (NASDAQ:MRNA) Inc. during the time when the Delta variant was predominant.
Similar patterns of reduced vaccine effectiveness were seen in the general adult population.
Written By: Reuters
Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.