Pfizer says its Covid-19 vaccine efficacy erodes over time; pushes for new booster shots
Daniel Levi
Posted On September 15, 2021
As you may recall on Monday, a group of leading U.S. and international scientists said Covid booster shots are ‘not appropriate’ or needed at this time. In the study, which was published in the peer-reviewed journal The Lancet, the group concluded that Covid vaccine booster shots are not needed at this time for the general public after reviews of scientific evidence.
Now, as part of its effort to convince the U.S health agencies to get Americans to receive additional booster shots, Pfizer said on Wednesday that data from the U.S. and Israel “suggest that the efficacy of its Covid-19 vaccine wanes over time and that a booster dose was safe and effective at warding off the virus and new variants,” according to a report from Bloomberg.
Pfizer revealed the information in detailed data it plans to deliver to a meeting of outside advisers to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Friday. “The panel is expected to make recommendations for whether more Americans should receive booster shots,” Bloomberg said.
In July, Pfizer announced that it was developing a booster shot for the new covid variant. The pharmaceutical giant added that a third COVID-19 booster dose given about six months after the second shot improves the efficacy of the vaccine against new coronavirus variants. Pfizer said the effectiveness of the third COVID-19 booster dose is backed by initial data from their study on booster shots.
However, immediately after the company announced its plans for a third booster dose, the FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that fully vaccinated people do not need those types of booster shots. The upcoming presentation with the FDA is the second attempt by Pfizer to convince the agency to approve the third booster shot for millions of Americans.
Meanwhile, the report about the waning of Pfizer’s vaccine is nothing new. Early this month, Pfizer CEO even admitted that the “success against Covid-19 will likely require both vaccines and treatments.” In a tweet, Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said:
“Success against #COVID19 will likely require both vaccines & treatments,” Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said on Wednesday. “We’re pleased to share we’ve started a Phase 2/3 study of our oral antiviral candidate-specifically designed to combat SARS-CoV-2-in non-hospitalized, low-risk adults.”
Success against #COVID19 will likely require both vaccines & treatments. We’re pleased to share we’ve started a Phase 2/3 study of our oral antiviral candidate—specifically designed to combat SARS-CoV-2—in non-hospitalized, low-risk adults: https://t.co/su5VtfbWPX
— Albert Bourla (@AlbertBourla) September 1, 2021
