COVID-19 vaccine dosing schedules should be adhered to, say stakeholders

In a collective flexing of muscles over the controversy of how and when to dose the new COVID-19 vaccines now appearing on global markets, the leading pharma and vaccine lobbying bodies have come out strongly in favor of using the products as indicated by manufacturers and the various medicine regulators that have approved their use, which so far has largely been on a conditional/emergency basis.

In a joint statement issue this afternoon, the biopharmaceutical industry said it acknowledges the considerable challenges governments are facing to urgently address the enormous strain the pandemic is placing on healthcare systems, societies and economies. In light of the urgent need to reach as many people as possible with COVID-19 vaccines, there are emerging discussions regarding dosing strategies that may not be supported by the authorized labelling or published clinical data.

The biopharmaceutical industry commits to work in partnership with regulatory agencies and recommending bodies to gather further clinical data on several ongoing scientific questions with regard to COVID-19 vaccines.