Numerous reports say the FDA could give Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine full approval as early as this week. The goal is to get more Americans vaccinated.
Dr. Peter Hotez is with the Baylor College of Medicine and is developing a Covid vaccine himself. He says: "I think it's an important development, especially with regards to employers who have been reluctant to mandate vaccines for their employees until full approval comes in. It may not be necessary but I think employers feel more comfortable. I think it could be important for parents and schools."
He says a number of people have been waiting for full approval and thinks this will be a good vaccine advocacy tool: "I also think it should give some reassurance to people about how our FDA has behaved. They've worked hard to closely approximate the Emergency Use Authorization process to make it closely resemble full approval and it was validated."
He says it really shows the FDA was on top of this.
He notes once something is approved, physicians can write prescriptions for off-label uses.
For example, even though the recommendation is to wait until September for a third immunization: "In theory, a physician could write a prescription for a third immunization. Or if you have an 11-year-old who is not eligible to get vaccinated, the pediatrician could write an off-label prescription. Or if you've gotten the Johnson and Johnson vaccine and you really want a second dose the physician could write a prescription for an mRNA vaccine for Pfizer."
He hopes the CDC and FDA will monitor that and create a registry so this doesn't get out of hand.
Vaccine rates in Texas have been rising as the more contagious Delta variant tears through the state. More than 66% of Texans have gotten at least one dose and over 55% are fully vaccinated. That rises to more than 76% for Texans 65 and older.
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