Pfizer Submits Initial Booster Shot Clinical Data to US Health Authorities

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] Pfizer has submitted initial clinical data on booster shots to the U.S. health authorities, Bloomberg reported on the 16th (local time).

In the data submitted that day, Pfizer claimed that "after receiving the booster shot, neutralizing antibodies protecting the human body from COVID-19 were produced at much higher levels." Participants received the booster shot 8 to 9 months after their second dose.

Pfizer emphasized the need for booster shots based on experimental results showing that the vaccine's effectiveness dropped from an initial 96% to 84% after 4 months.

Pfizer plans to complete the final phase of clinical trials soon and submit the final data to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA).

Meanwhile, Israel, the first country in the world to start booster shot vaccinations, reported that more than 1 million people had completed the vaccination as of that day. This number exceeds half of the approximately 1.9 million eligible recipients aged 50 and over who passed 5 months after their second vaccine dose.

Naftali Bennett, Prime Minister of Israel, said, "It is a tremendous achievement, but there is still a lot of work ahead," adding, "Many people have come to understand our decision that a third dose is necessary."

Israel began administering booster shots to immunocompromised groups starting from the 12th of last month. On the 30th of the same month, the target group was expanded to include elderly people aged 60 and over who were 5 months past their second dose, and from the 12th of this month, the third dose was extended to those aged 50 and over.

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