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USA Rules Out Third Dose

PFIZER INSISTS ON ADDITIONAL VACCINE

Newsroom El Comercio de Colorado

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The US federal government has deemed Pfizer’s third vaccine dose unnecessary. The Biden administration will not call for a third dose until further studies determine if it necessary, despite Pfizer’s insistence.

Representatives of Pfizer made their case for third vaccine to the US health authorities with preliminary reports on the necessity of additional dose. The meeting between Pfizer and the federal government took place just days after Pfizer announced request to FDA for authorization for third dose.

The meeting between Pfizer representatives and the federal government took place on the same day that Israel began administering third doses of the Pfizer vaccine to heart transplant patients and others with immune problems. The FDA and CDC jointly announced that they do not believe third vaccination requested by Pfizer is necessary.

More Data Needed

Spokespersons for the FDA and CDC indicated that more data is needed, and possibly several more months, before it can be determined whether additional injections will be needed. Pfizer is currently collecting information on antibody responses in patients who have received a third dose of the vaccine.

Pfizer expects to send at least part of those reports to the FDA before the end of August 2021 in order to obtain an authorization for a third injection. Several officials have noted that a final decision on an extra vaccine will also depend on actual patient information from the CDC.