Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Moderna Shot Could Start Being Used In Children, Teens Within Weeks: CEO

Moderna Shot Could Start Being Used In Children, Teens Within Weeks: CEO

Moderna CEO Staphane Bancel said based on dialogue with the US Food and Drug Administration, he believes his company's COVID-19 vaccine will be authorized for 12- to 17-year-olds in the next few weeks.

Moderna Inc's COVID-19 vaccine could start to be used in children and teens in the United States within weeks, its chief executive said in an interview ahead of the Reuters Total Health conference, which will run virtually from Nov. 15-18.

Moderna CEO Staphane Bancel said based on dialogue with the US Food and Drug Administration, he believes his company's COVID-19 vaccine will be authorized for 12- to 17-year-olds in the next few weeks.

Moderna plans to apply for separate US regulatory clearance in children ages 6 through 11 "very soon," Bancel said, adding that he is hopeful that age group could start receiving Moderna's shots by the end of this year.

"It's entirely possible that this side of Christmas, 6 to 11 years of age would have access to Moderna's vaccine," Bancel told Reuters.

Moderna expects to publish data from its vaccine study of children as young as 6 months to 6 years by the end of this year or early in 2022, Bancel said.

Moderna applied for US authorization of its shot for those aged 12 to 17 in June. It published positive data from a clinical trial in children ages 6 to 11 this week, but has not yet submitted an application to regulators for that age group.

While children becoming seriously ill or dying from COVID-19 is relatively rare compared with adults, some develop complications, and infections in unvaccinated kids have risen due to the easily transmitted Delta variant of the coronavirus.

On Tuesday, a panel of advisers to the FDA backed the use of Pfizer's shot in children ages 5 to 11. That still needs authorization from the FDA and US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

ANNUAL BOOSTER SHOTS?


The Delta variant has contributed to a global spike in coronavirus cases in recent months, and several countries have begun administering vaccine booster shots to some people to help combat the surge.

US regulators last week authorized a half strength booster shot of Moderna's vaccine for people aged 65 and older and those who are at risk of severe disease due to health problems or high risk of virus exposure through their jobs.

Pfizer Inc and partner BioNTech SE received authorization for boosters for the same groups in September.

Bancel said he expects people over age 50 will need annual COVID-19 booster shots starting in 2023 because protection against the virus wanes over time. Some experts say it is unclear if boosters are broadly needed.

"I could see a world where from 2023 everyone ages 50 and above is boosting every year," Bancel said. "It's a population that drives hospitalizations and way too many deaths."

Bancel also said Moderna was engaged in a 'good ongoing dialogue' about long-term licensing of its COVID-19 vaccine to a South African vaccine manufacturing hub backed by the World Health Organization (WHO).

The WHO is working to get more COVID-19 vaccine to Africa to help improve developing countries' access after rich nations bought up most of this year's supply, leaving many nations with very low vaccination rates.

A WHO official in September told Reuters that a lack of progress in talks with Moderna meant the project will take time.

"We have been very clear that we will not be litigating (patent rights) during the pandemic," Bancel said. "The question is do they want a license for long term and, as you know, discussing licensing has a lot of implications."

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Munich Airport Reopens After Second Drone Shutdown
Pro Europe and Anti-War Babiš Poised to Return to Power After Czech Parliamentary Vote
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Sentenced to Fifty Months in Prison Following Prostitution Conviction
Altman Says GPT-5 Already Outpaces Him, Warns AI Could Automate 40% of Work
Russian Research Vessel 'Yantar' Tracked Mapping Europe’s Subsea Cables, Raising Security Alarms
Global Cruise Industry Posts Dramatic Comeback with 34.6 Million Passengers in 2024
U.S. Demands Brussels Scrutinize Digital Rules to Prevent Bias Against American Tech
Private Equity’s Fundraising Surge Triggers Concern of European Market Shake-Out
Tokyo’s Jimbōchō Named World’s Coolest Neighbourhood for 2025
European Officials Fear Trump May Shift Blame for Ukraine War onto EU
The Personality Rights Challenge in India’s AI Era
Italy Considers Freezing Retirement Age at 67 to Avert Scheduled Hike
Italian City to Impose Tax on Visiting Dogs Starting in 2026
Study Finds No Safe Level of Alcohol for Dementia Risk
Trump Says Ukraine Can Fully Restore Borders with NATO Backing
Europe Signals Stronger Support for Taiwan at Major Taipei Defence Show
Germany Weighs Excluding France from Key European Fighter Jet Programme
Cyberattack Disrupts Check-in and Boarding Systems at Major European Airports
Björn Borg Breaks Silence: Memoir Reveals Addiction, Shame and Cancer Battle
When Extremism Hijacks Idealism: How the Baader-Meinhof Gang Emerged and Fell
JWST Data Brings TRAPPIST-1e Closer to Earth-Like Habitability
Trump Orders $100,000 Fee on H-1B Visas and Launches ‘Gold Card’ Immigration Pathway
France’s Looming Budget Crisis and Political Fracture Raise Fears of Becoming Europe’s “Sick Man”
Three Russian MiG-31 Jets Breach Estonian Airspace in ‘Unprecedentedly Brazen’ NATO Incident
European manufacturers against ban on polluting cars: "The industry may collapse"
Turkish car manufacturer Togg Enters German Market with 5-Star Electric Sedan and SUV to Challenge European EV Brands
Christian Brueckner Released from German Prison after Serving Unrelated Sentence
World’s Longest Direct Flight China Eastern to Launch 29-Hour Shanghai–Buenos Aires Direct Flight via Auckland in December
New OpenAI Study Finds Majority of ChatGPT Use Is Personal, Not Professional
The conservative right spreads westward: a huge achievement for 'Alternative for Germany' in local elections
Pope Leo Warns of Societal Crisis Over Mega-CEO Pay, Citing Tesla’s Proposed Trillion-Dollar Package
Poland Green-Lights NATO Deployment in Response to Major Russian Drone Incursion
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
×