FDA
U.S. House to vote on $28 million for FDA to relieve infant formula shortage
WASHINGTON — Democratic appropriators in the U.S. House unveiled a $28 million emergency spending bill Tuesday intended to address a nationwide infant formula shortage that has left parents and caregivers struggling to find food for babies. The U.S. House is expected to vote this week on the bill, which would provide funding to the U.S. Food […]
Second COVID booster authorized by FDA for those 50 and older
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday authorized another round of COVID-19 booster shots for people 50 and older, as well as those who are immunocompromised. The decision to amend an earlier emergency use authorization for a second booster dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine is meant to increase protection against […]
White House plans speedy delivery to states of COVID vaccine for littlest kids
WASHINGTON — The Biden administration is preparing to ship COVID-19 vaccines to the states as quickly as possible, should the Food and Drug Administration approve an emergency use authorization for kids under 5. White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator Jeffrey Zients said Wednesday that approval of the specially formulated vaccine would make 18 million young children […]
Fauci declines to predict COVID vaccine timetable for kids under 5
WASHINGTON — Parents hoping to vaccinate their young children against COVID-19 will need to be patient, Dr. Anthony Fauci cautioned Wednesday. The director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases said while he expects the vaccine regimen for children under 5 will be three doses, he couldn’t provide a timeline on when the […]
Complaints about White House handling of COVID-19 aired at U.S. Senate hearing
WASHINGTON — Senators from both political parties expressed their frustration with the Biden administration coronavirus response team during a Tuesday hearing that keyed in on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidance on vaccines, as well as the shortage of COVID-19 tests available for Americans. The hearing also was highlighted by a tense exchange between […]
Biden pick to lead FDA fields questions over pharma ties, abortion pill, COVID tests
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden’s pick to lead the Food and Drug Administration drew praise from a top Senate Republican, as well as critical questions from conservatives and others during a Tuesday confirmation hearing. Dr. Robert Califf fielded queies on his ties to the pharmaceutical industry, the pandemic-loosened rules around abortion drugs, and frustrations involving COVID-19 […]
Federal health officials open up access to COVID-19 booster shots to all U.S. adults
WASHINGTON — Federal health officials on Friday moved to expand access to COVID-19 booster shots to all American adults, in an effort to bolster protection against infections as case counts rise again across the United States. Officials with the Food and Drug Administration on Friday morning authorized booster shots for anyone over age 18 who […]
COVID-19 vaccines for kids 5 to 11 get final endorsement by CDC
WASHINGTON — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has signed off on giving Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine to all kids ages 5 to 11, a final decision that means those children could begin receiving shots as soon as Wednesday. Vials of the pediatric version of the vaccine have already been shipped to states, so they are […]
If CDC signs off, COVID-19 shots for kids to begin later this week
WASHINGTON — Within minutes of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s announcement Friday giving the green light to Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for kids aged 5 to 11, a massive logistics operation launched to prepare for the final regulatory step. Some 15 million doses of the vaccine began to move from Pfizer’s freezers to distribution centers, requiring dry […]
FDA panel recommends OK for Pfizer’s vaccine for kids 5 to 11
WASHINGTON — A federal vaccine advisory panel on Tuesday recommended authorizing Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5 to 11, a decision that means as soon as next week everyone in the U.S. over age 5 is expected to be eligible for a shot. The vote by the Food & Drug Administration panel, with 17 […]
COVID-19 vaccines for kids ages 5 to 11 could be ready as soon as next week
WASHINGTON — The next wave of the massive COVID-19 vaccination campaign could begin as soon as next week, after federal regulators decide if elementary school students across the U.S. should begin rolling up their tiny sleeves. That multistep approval process kicks off Tuesday, when the Food & Drug Administration’s panel of vaccine experts will vote on […]
COVID-19 boosters from Moderna, J&J OK’d along with ‘mix and match’ shots
WASHINGTON — Tens of millions of additional Americans are now eligible to receive a booster dose of one of the COVID-19 vaccines, after federal health officials gave the green light late Thursday to follow-up doses of the shots made by Moderna and Johnson & Johnson. Anyone who received the one-shot J&J vaccine is now eligible for a second […]