FDA Vaccine Committee Approves Moderna Booster

Yesterday vaccine advisers with the FDA voted to recommend emergency use authorization of a booster dose of Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine. All 19 members of the FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee agreed that the use of a booster would be safe and effective in some people six months after their two dose regimen. Moderna had asked for emergency use authorization for a half dose of their vaccine to be administered as a booster to certain people.

The groups eligible for the booster include people age 65 and older, people ages 18 to 64 who are at high risk of severe Covid-19 and people ages 18 to 64 whose exposure to the Coronavirus in their settings or jobs put them at risk for Covid-19 complications or severe illness. The committee is meeting today to discuss boosters of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine and will also hear a presentation on mix-and-match vaccines.