Video: Boston doctor explains why Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine for kids ages 6-17 should be approved
Updated: 6:18 PM EDT Jun 14, 2022
>> YOU ARE WATCHING WCVB NEWSCENTER 5 AT 5:30 P.M. ERIKA: DISCUSSING NEW VACCINE OPTIONS TO PROTECT CHILDREN FROM COVID-19. HERE TO ANERSW QUESTIONS IS THE HOSPITAL EPIDEMIOLOGIST AT TENTS MEDICAL CENTER. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. N:BE AS YOU WELL KNOW, THERE’S A LOT ON THE AGENDA TODAY AND TOMORROW. LET’S TALK FIRST ABTOU THE REQUEST FOR MODERNITY TO EXPAND AUTHORIZATION FOR ITS VACCINE TO KIDS AGES SIX THROUGH 17. DO YOU THINK THERE’S ENOUGH DATA AVAILABLE RIGHT NOW TO MAKE THAT DECISION? >> YES. I WATCH THE MEETING TODAY AND MODERNA PRESENTED A COMPELLING CASE FOR THEIR VACCINE GENERATING EQUIVALENT ANTIBODY LEVELS TO THOSE SEEN IN ADULTS AND AN EXCELLENT SAFETY PROFILE WHICH ARE THE TWO THINGS THE FDA REQUESIR TO ISSUE AN EMERGENCY USE AUTHORIZATION. THEY CLARIFIED ONCE THEY GIVE THE EMERGENCY USE AUTHORIZATION, REAL-WORLD STUDIES WILL TELL US HOW OF ACTIVITY VACCINE IS AT PREVENTING INFECTION IN THE ADVISORY PANEL VOTED UNANIMOUSLY IN FAVOR AND OPPOSITION. ERIKA: PFIZER HAS THEIR VACCINE APPROVED AND IF YOU COMPARE BOTH SIDE-BY-SIDE, IS ONE MORE EFFECTIVE OR SAFER THAN THE OTHER? ANYTHING THAT DISTINGUISHES THE TWO? >> YOU CAN’T REALLY COMPARE THEM SIDE-BY-SIDE WITHOUT DOING A CLINICAL TALRI IN THE SAME TIME AT THE SAME PLACE AND THAT HASN’T BEEN DONE. IN ADULTS, WE SEE HIGHER ANTIBODY LEVELS, BUT WHETHER WE WOULD SEE THAT IN YOUNGER INDIVIDUALS GIVEN THE DIFFERENT DOSES WE ARE USING IN THE YOUNGEST AGE GROUPS IS UNKNOWN. BEN: THAT’S FOR KIDS FIVE OR OLDER WE ARE TALKING ABT.OU LET’S TALK ABOUT THE YOUNGEST KIDS BECAUSE TOMORROW, THE ADVISORY GROUP WILL ALSO REVWIE NEW VACCINES FROM BOTH PFIZER AND MODERNA FOR INFANTSND A TODDLERS. DO YOU HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THEIR SAFETY O ERFFICACY? PARENTS HAVE WAITED A LONG TIME. >> I AM VERY PLEASED WITH THE SAFETY DATA. THE ONLY DANGEROUS SIDE EFFECT WE HAVE SEEN WITH ANY SUBSTANTIAL FREQUENCY HAS BEEN I O CART — SHA BEEN MYOCARDITIS AND THERE WERE NO CASES OF THAT ANY PFIZER OR MODERNYIT TRIALS IN THIS YOUNG AGE GROUP AND THAT IS WHAT WE EXPECD.TE SINCE THE RATE HAS BEEN LOWER IN THE FIVE TO 11 GROUP THAN ETH ADOLESCENCE. AS FAR AS EFFICACY, THE STUDIES WERE NOT DESIGNED TO ASSESS THAT. ANTIBODY LEVELS WERE EQUIVALENT TO THOSE SEEN IN OLDER AGE GROUPS WHERE WE KNOW THE VACCINE WORKS AND THEY DID SHOW THAT. THERE WERE SEVEN CASES OF SYMPTOMATIC COVID IN THE PLACEBO GROUP AND THREE IN THE VACCINE GROUP. AND IN THE BITTERNESS STUDY, THERE WERE MORE CASES OF INFECTION. ERIKA: VACCINES FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE COULD BE DISTRIBUTED EASARLY AS NEXT WEEK. IS THAT REALISTIC? >> YEAH. WE HAVE ORDERED OUR SUPPLY FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE. WE WON’T GET IT UNTILHE T FDA AUTHORIZES IT. BUT GENERALLY WE GET IT VERY QUICKLY AFTER THE FDA AND CDC ISSUE THEIR DECISIONS. BEN: ONE MORE QUESTION BEFORE YOU GO. FOR PARENTS OF THE YOUNGEST KIDS IS, THIS THE ADVICE TO TAKE THE FIRST VACCINE AVAILABLE TO YOU? YTR NOT TO BE VACCINE SHOPPING? >> YEAH. I THINK A PLACE LIKE TUFTS MEDICAL CENTER WILL OFFER BOTH. THERE WON’T BE ANY COMPELLING REASON TO CHOOSE ONE OVER THE OTHER. SO I WOULD SAY WHATEVER YOU GO AND WHATEVER THEY OFFER, TAKE THAT ONE. ERIKA: THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. BEN: IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS YOU
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Video: Boston doctor explains why Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine for kids ages 6-17 should be approved
Updated: 6:18 PM EDT Jun 14, 2022
An FDA advisory panel will also meet to consider shots for children under the age of 5 from both Moderna and Pfizer.
An FDA advisory panel will also meet to consider shots for children under the age of 5 from both Moderna and Pfizer.
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