Expert panel votes ‘No’ on booster shots except for elderly and at-risk

It appears the Biden administration’s plan to roll out booster shots for most Americans is in doubt after a federal advisory panel only endorsed boosters for the elderly and at-risk.

The panel advises the Food and Drug Administration which means Friday’s panel  could play large when the FDA makes its own decision on booster shots in the coming days.

The first vote the panel took was on whether to endorse booster shots for nearly everyone. The vote was 16-2 against it citing a lack of safety data and doubts on the value of mass boosters.

“I don’t think a booster dose is going to significantly contribute to controlling the pandemic,” said Dr. Cody Meissner of Tufts University. “And I think it’s important that the main message we transmit is that we’ve got to get everyone two doses.”

The second panel vote was on booster shots for select portions of the U.S. population. That vote was a unanimous 18-0 in the affirmative.

Sharon Alroy-Preis with Israel’s Ministry of Health said the booster dose improves protection tenfold against infection in people 60 and older.

“It’s like a fresh vaccine,” she said, saying the booster dose helps “dampen severe cases in the fourth wave”.

A CDC advisory panel is expected to take up the question of booster shots on Wednesday. They are considering extra doses for older people, nursing home residents and front-line health care workers as opposed to all adults.

“We have always said that this initial plan would be contingent on the FDA and the CDC’s independent evaluation,” U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy said Friday.

It’s important to note, Friday’s panel vote is focused solely on Pfizer’s booster shots. Separate FDA and CDC decisions will be needed for the Moderna and the Johnson & Johnson boosters.