Pfizer's COVID-19 Vaccine Nears Full Approval in US

Strategic Insights -

Pfizer Inc. has announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted priority review to its COVID-19 vaccine, positioning it for full approval by January. The vaccine has been administered to more Americans than any other shot in the U.S. vaccination campaign, with 85 million people fully vaccinated with the two-dose regimen. A full approval could boost U.S. vaccination efforts, making it easier for employers, school districts, and others to mandate vaccination, and alleviating concerns of those hesitant to receive an experimental medication.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Pfizer vaccine has been administered to more Americans than any other shot in the U.S. vaccination campaign, with 85 million people fully vaccinated with the two-dose regimen.
  • A full approval for the Pfizer vaccine could help boost U.S. vaccination efforts and make it easier for employers, school districts, and others to mandate vaccination.
  • Some 31% of U.S. adults who have yet to be vaccinated would be more likely to get a vaccine that is fully approved by the FDA, according to a recent Kaiser Family Foundation survey.
  • Approximately 20% of U.S. adults who have not been vaccinated said it's because they believe the vaccine is too new, highlighting the need for full approval to alleviate concerns.
  • Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, expects full approval from the FDA, stating it would be "most unusual" for the FDA to refuse full approval.
  • The typical priority review process allows six months, but FDA approval could come before January, potentially as early as July.

Statistics:

  • 85 million people have been fully vaccinated with the two-dose Pfizer regimen, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
  • 31% of U.S. adults who have yet to be vaccinated would be more likely to get a vaccine that is fully approved by the FDA.
  • Approximately 20% of U.S. adults who have not been vaccinated said it's because they believe the vaccine is too new.
  • Pfizer's vaccine has been administered to more Americans than any other shot in the U.S. vaccination campaign.

Sources:

  • Pfizer Inc., news release, July 16, 2021
  • CNN
  • Bloomberg News
  • Fox News
  • U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention