FDA panel unanimously recommends authorization of Moderna coronavirus booster

Members of an independent Food and Drug Administration panel have voted unanimously to recommend authorization of Moderna’s coronavirus booster shot after hours of discussion and debate.

The Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee voted to recommend the booster for people 65-plus, those with certain medical conditions and people facing workplace exposure.

The eligibility groups exactly mirror those of Pfizer’s booster shot, which was authorized last month.

Moderna’s booster will be 50 micrograms, which is half the amount of the primary shots. The booster can be given at least six months following the second dose.

There still remain a few hurdles before Moderna’s booster can make its way into arms. The FDA must sign off on the recommendation and then the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, convened by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, will meet to review Moderna’s data.

After that, the CDC director will approve the rollout plan and the shots will be available to the public. That could happen sometime next week.

Developing…

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/3mT2v7U