US authorizes Pfizer vaccine for children 12 to 15
The US Food and Drug Administration has expanded its emergency use authorization for the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine to adolescents aged 12 to 15.
The FDA announced the decision on Monday, after screening Pfizer's safety and efficacy data from its clinical trials.
A senior FDA official said, "Having a vaccine authorized for a younger population is a critical step in continuing to lessen the immense public health burden caused by the COVID-19 pandemic."
The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was earlier granted emergency use authorization in the United States for people aged 16 or older.
Pfizer applied for an expansion last month. The company says there were no cases of COVID-19 among children who received the vaccine in its studies.
Pfizer is also staging clinical trials of children aged 11 and younger. It says it plans to apply for emergency authorization for these age groups in September and beyond.
Moderna and Johnson & Johnson are also testing coronavirus vaccines on children up to the age of 17.
Post On : 05-12-2021