The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory panel opposes the third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
The FDA's advisory body, the Vaccines and Biologics Advisory Committee (VRBPAC), held a meeting and voted to approve Pfizer's vaccine booster shots for people aged 16 and over, but it was rejected by an overwhelming majority.
The Advisory Committee voted 16-2 to approve the Pfizer vaccine booster shot.
This raises the likelihood that the Joe Biden administration's plans to begin next week with Pfizer and Moderna's broad-spectrum booster shots to the vaccinated public will be set aside.
The Biden administration announced last month that it would start the third dose of vaccination for people who have been vaccinated for more than eight months from Pfizer and Moderna, starting next week, on the 20th.
Prior to the vote, FDA and CDC officials, Israeli government officials and experts who had already implemented BoosterShot vaccination, and Pfizer officials who requested approval for BoosterShot attended the meeting to discuss the need for additional vaccinations.
"It's not clear if everyone should get the booster shot, but not some populations that are clearly at high risk of getting serious," said Dr Michael Kurilla, of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), an advisory board member.
On the other hand, Dr. Peter Marks, who oversees the FDA's vaccine work, said that other well-known vaccines often need booster shots, and he appealed to him to consider the importance of limiting the spread of infection, not just preventing serious illness. I lost.
Although the FDA advisory group's decision is a recommendation and is not legally binding, FDA has traditionally accepted advisory group recommendations.
The New York Times predicted that the FDA would make a final decision early next week.