Germany and Denmark Also Consider Changing Vaccine Dosing Intervals...Pharmaceutical Companies Reluctant

Reviewing Extension of Pfizer Vaccine Dosing Interval from 3 to 6 Weeks
Pfizer States "Unclear Duration of Protection"...No Clinical Data Available

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] Some European countries, including Germany and Denmark, are planning to extend the interval between the first and second doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, similar to the UK, in order to increase vaccination rates. However, Pfizer, the vaccine manufacturer, has expressed reluctance. Pfizer stated that there is no clinical data on whether the immune effect is maintained when the interval between doses is extended. Nevertheless, health authorities in various countries have shown a stance that it is unavoidable to resolve immediate vaccine supply issues, and the controversy is expected to expand.

According to major foreign media such as the UK Guardian on the 5th (local time), Jens Spahn, Germany's Minister of Health, reportedly instructed the Robert Koch Institute, Germany's disease control authority, to study extending the interval between the first and second doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine from the existing 21 days (3 weeks) to 42 days (6 weeks). This measure is interpreted as a strategy based on the judgment that it is advantageous to expand vaccination rates first in a situation where vaccine supply is difficult. After the UK health authorities announced extending the interval from 4 weeks to 12 weeks, health authorities in various countries have been reviewing this idea.

On the 27th of last month, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) approved the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and recommended an interval of 42 days between the first and second doses. Pfizer's recommended interval is 21 days. The German medical community appears to support the health authorities' idea for now. Leif-Erik Sander, head of the vaccine research team at Berlin's Charit? Hospital, stated, "Considering the current vaccine shortage and the very high number of infected and hospitalized patients, a strategy to vaccinate as many people as possible is more effective."

Denmark also decided to extend the interval for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine up to 6 weeks for the same reason. Søren Brostrøm, Denmark's Minister of Health, revealed this plan in a media interview, saying, "If possible, we will follow the original guideline recommending a 3 to 4 week interval at any time," and explained, "Since there is no scientific evidence to confirm the preventive effect when the interval exceeds 6 weeks, we cannot recommend exceeding 6 weeks."

On the same day, EMA issued a statement regarding the vaccination interval, saying, "It should be adhered to up to a maximum of 42 days." EMA explained, "The efficacy of the Pfizer vaccine was analyzed based on study results of two doses administered at intervals of 19 to 42 days, and full preventive effect appeared only 7 days after the second dose."

Meanwhile, manufacturers Pfizer and BioNTech have expressed reluctance. In a joint statement on the same day, the two companies said, "The majority of clinical trial participants received the second dose within the 3-week period specified in the study design," and "The safety and efficacy of our vaccine have not been evaluated under other dosing schedules." They emphasized, "There is no data proving that the preventive effect continues 21 days after the first dose."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.