The vaccine designed by Pfizer and German partner BioNTech is now available for teenagers aged 12 and over.
For younger school-age children, Pfizer tested a much lower dose, one-third the amount of each injection currently given.
However, after the second dose, children ages 5 to 11 developed levels of antibodies to the coronavirus as strong as adolescents and young adults, Pfizer vice president Bill Gruber told the Associated Press (AP).
“I think we really hit the sweet spot,” said Gruber, who is also a pediatrician.
The same official said that the companies intend to submit to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), by the end of the month, the request for emergency use of the vaccine in that age group, followed soon after by requests in the same direction with European regulators and in the United Kingdom.
Many Western countries have so far not vaccinated children before the age of 12, waiting for evidence of what the right dose will be and that it will work safely in smaller portions.
But last week, Cuba began immunising 2-year-olds with its vaccines, and the Chinese regulator authorised two of its brands for children under 2 years old.
Pfizer vice president Bill Gruber told the Associated Press (AP). "I think we hit the sweet spot"
Do you think Mr Gruber wakes up, phones his secretary and asks how many people did we save today, or does he check the Stock price of Pfizer online?
By Joe wow from Alentejo on 21 Sep 2021, 07:42
1.Pfizer received the biggest fine in U.S. history as part of a $2.3 Billion plea deal with federal prosecutors for mis-promoting medicines (Bextra, Celebrex) and paying kickbacks to compliant doctors. Pfizer pleaded guilty to mis-branding the painkiller Bextra by promoting the drug for uses for which it was not approved.
2.In the 1990s, Pfizer was involved in defective heart valves that lead to the deaths of more than 100 people. Pfizer had deliberately misled regulators about the hazards. The company agreed to pay $10.75 Million to settle justice department charges for misleading regulators.
3.Pfizer paid more than $60 Million to settle a lawsuit over Rezulin, a diabetes medication that caused patients to die from acute liver failure.
4.In the UK, Pfizer has been fined nearly €90 Million for overcharging the NHS, the National Health Service. Pfizxer charged the taxpayer an additional €48 Million per year for what should have cost €2 million per year.
5.Pfizer agreed to pay $430 Million in 2004 to settle criminal charges that it had bribed doctors to prescribe its epilepsy drug Neurontin for indications for which it was not approved.
6.In 2011, a jury found Pfizer committed racketeering fraud in its marketing of the drug Neurontin. Pfizer agreed to pay $142.1 Million to settle the charges.
7.Pfizer disclosed that it had paid nearly nearly 4,500 doctors and other medical professionals some $20 Million for speaking on Pfizer’s behalf.
8.In 2012, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission announced that it had reached a $45 Million settlement with Pfizer to resolve charges that its subsidiaries had bribed overseas doctors and other healthcare professionals to increase foreign sales.
And there's more...
By Fred Doe from Algarve on 21 Sep 2021, 12:08