FDA to Authorize Third Dose of Pfizer Vaccine for Older Americans

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration will authorize a booster dose of the Pfizer Inc and BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for those aged 65 and older and some high-risk Americans, a Bloomberg News report said on Wednesday.

The move would pave the way for a quick rollout of the shots. An FDA spokesperson declined to comment.

Advisers to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) could vote on the use of a third shot of the vaccine on Thursday, an agency official said at a public meeting of the panel on Wednesday.

U.S. President Joe Biden announced in August the government's intention to roll out booster shots for people aged 16 and older this week, pending approval by the FDA and CDC.

Advisers to the FDA voted on Friday to recommend COVID-19 vaccine booster shots for Americans 65 and older and those at high risk of severe illness, after overwhelmingly rejecting a call for broader approval.

The advisory panel said there was not enough evidence to support booster shots for all those aged 16 and older who had received a second dose at least six months earlier and also sought more safety data.