‘Mix and Match’: FDA Expected to OK Switching Vax Brands for Booster Dose
Initially jabbed with Johnson & Johnson? The FDA may soon let you get a Moderna booster.
Joe Raedle/Getty
The Food and Drug Administration may soon allow Americans to choose a different brand of booster for their next shot of a COVID-19 vaccine, the New York Times has reported. The regulator will likely package assent to the “mix and match” approach into its authorization of the Johnson & Johnson and Modern boosters expected to come this week. (The FDA has already authorized boosters of the Pfizer vaccine for high-risk people and those over 65 in September.)
The expected announcement will follow a federally funded vaccine study, that showed people who got Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine had a stronger immune response when boosted with Moderna and Pfizer. Experts did emphasize the short-term nature of the study, and its small sample size, advising caution when citing its outcomes.
A biostatistician on the FDA’s expert committee warned Friday that allowing recipients to pick a different brand of vaccine for their booster could be “very, very messy in terms of the messaging.” The regulatory agency may recommend sticking to the same vaccine as a booster where possible, sources familiar with the plan told the Times. The FDA declined to comment on the matter.
See more of our coverage in your search results.
Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here.
Register below to read this article for free or subscribe
to unlock unlimited access to The Daily Beast.
Monthly
$1
First month then $5.99/month
Annual
$35
First year then $59.99/year
Premium
$79
First year then $119.99/year
*Substack access provided by the next business day, using your subscription email. Choosing the Premium plan constitutes your permission to share your subscription email with Substack and your agreement to Substack’s Privacy Policy.
Already have an account? Sign In
Looks like you already have a subscription!
You're all set!
Thanks for subscribing.