Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine appears to be “very promising,” Dr. Paul Offit, a member of the US Food and Drug Administration’s vaccine advisory group, said Tuesday, CNN reported.
“It appears to be approximately 95% effective in preventing disease, including 100% effective in serious illness, approximately 95% effective in preventing disease in people over 65, of different ethnic backgrounds, racial origins “Offit, who is director of the Vaccine Education Center and professor of pediatrics in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer.
FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biologics Advisory Committee will meet Thursday to review Moderna’s vaccine for emergency use authorization.
Offit said it’s encouraging to see that the new mRNA technology works in both Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, which use different formulations and slightly different dosing schedules.
He said that in terms of safety and protection, the two vaccines appear to be “roughly indistinguishable.”
Even after emergency use authorization, questions will remain unanswered about both vaccines.
“These two studies have shown that these vaccines can prevent disease (mild, moderate or severe disease), but the other question is, does it prevent infection, when you have no symptoms but can still be contagious?” he said. “None of those studies address that.”
In fact, Moderna submitted additional data to the FDA on Tuesday indicating that its vaccine prevents infection.
Offit noted that studies are planned for next year to address that question.
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