Pfizer To Meet With US Health Officials Over Vaccine Booster

Pfizer said it would meet with top U.S. health officials Monday to discuss the need for a third dose of its COVID-19 vaccine.

This meeting comes at a time of heightened debate over a potential vaccine booster shot as many states start seeing increased cases of the Delta variant. The drugmaker announced Thursday that it would seek regulatory authorization for a third dose of their vaccine since initial data from an ongoing trial showed a third shot pushed antibody levels five to 10 times higher against the original coronavirus strain and its variants.

White House chief medical advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci said that “it is entirely conceivable, maybe likely” that booster shots will be needed. He added that it was too soon for the government to recommend another shot.

Pfizer’s push for a booster shot has sparked debate with federal health agencies. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration released a joint rebuttal statement soon after Pfizer's announcement saying “Americans who have been fully vaccinated do not need a booster shot at this time.”

Dr. Paul Offit, who advises the FDA on COVID vaccines, told CNBC that the need for a booster shot should be determined by “the epidemiological work that’s being done by the CDC” and not by Pfizer.

“Pfizer is a pharmaceutical company. They are not a public health agency. It is not theirs to determine how this vaccine gets distributed regarding booster doses,” he said.

Offit stated that there is currently no data to suggest most Americans need booster doses yet.

Monday’s planned meeting, which was first reported by the Washington Post, will include Dr. Fauci, as well as National Institutes of Health Director Dr. Francis Collins, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky and acting FDA Commissioner Dr. Janet Woodcock.