The Pfizer Covid vaccine could begin shipments this weekend if it receives a favorable review on Thursday from the Food and Drug Administration. A panel of experts is set to give a final review to data on the drug. The AP writes:
The FDA panel functions like a science court that will pick apart the data and debate — in public and live-streamed — whether the shot is safe and effective enough to be cleared for emergency use. The non-government experts specialize in vaccine development, infectious diseases and medical statistics. The FDA is expected to followthe committee’s advice, although it is not required to do so.
A positive review and speedy approval seem likely despite a cautionary note from the U.K. where a warning was delivered for those who have severe allergic reactions not to take the drug.
The meeting of FDA scientists and specialists is also a chance for a little PR.
Notes the AP: The meeting also gives regulators an opportunity to try to boost public confidence in the breakneck development process that has produced the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and a string of other upcoming shots in less than a year.