Biden's COVID-19 Booster Plan Faces Resistance From Medical Experts: Bloomberg

  • Last month, the Biden Administration announced plans to distribute COVID-19 booster shots to Americans from September 20. However, the effort still needs a sign-off from the FDA, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, mentions Bloomberg.
  • CDC panel has pushed back consideration of the plan to mid-September and said they were concerned that politics was getting ahead of the process this week.
  • It's "very frightening to me that health-care providers are trying to do the best job that they can, and are taking guidance from HHS and the White House," said Helen Talbot, a Vanderbilt University professor of medicine and member of the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.
  • The booster plan includes a vaccine from Pfizer Inc PFEBioNTech SE BNTXModerna Inc MRNA has applied for clearance just yesterday.
  • Related: Moderna Seeks FDA Approval For COVID-19 Booster Shot.
  • Data from Israel supports the use of booster shots. 
  • Read: Booster COVID Shot From Pfizer-BioNTech Significantly Cuts Infection Risk, Israel Study Shows.
  • The committee initially planned to evaluate boosters on August 24, which was postponed to Monday and delayed again to the middle of this month. 
  • Read: FDA Schedules Adcomm For Pfizer/BioNTech's COVID-19 Booster Shot.
  • While the Biden plan calls for boosters for everyone who's received two shots of the messenger RNA vaccines, CDC's Sara Oliver's presentation pointed out that risks and benefits will vary by age. 
  • The "policy for booster doses needs to take this benefit/risk balance into account," slides from Oliver's presentation said. It's "critical to wait for additional safety data and regulatory allowance for booster doses." 
  • Price Action: PFE stock closed +1.72% at $46.82, while BNTX stock is down 1.19% at $328.53 on Thursday.
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