On Friday, Biden’s vaccination plan hit a major roadblock after an FDA advisory panel declined to endorse authorization the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid booster shot for people aged 16 or older.
The 18 member group of influential experts was tasked with deciding if Pfizer’s latest clinical trials had provided adequate results that demonstrate the safety and effectiveness of their booster shot.
Unsurprisingly, the results did not make the cut, not even close.
The panel voted 16-2 to reject extra doses of experimental vaccine, citing insufficient data from incomplete clinical trials and the potential risk of heart inflammation – especially among young men.
BREAKING: An influential federal advisory panel rejected a plan to offer Pfizer booster shots against COVID-19 to most Americans. The 16-2 vote was a blow to the Biden administration’s effort to increase virus protections amid the contagious delta variant. https://t.co/CFhGFfdcml
— The Associated Press (@AP) September 17, 2021
The panel did, however, vote unanimously to endorse the booster for people aged 65 or older and “high-risk” individuals