CHMP Recommends Booster Dose Consideration for Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine
EMA’s CHMP concluded that a booster dose of Moderna’s Spikevax vaccine may be considered in people aged 18 and older.
The European Medical Agency’s (EMA) Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) announced on Oct. 25th, 2021, that a booster dose of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine, Spikevax, may be considered in people 18 or older.
According to an agency press release, this decision was made following data showing that a third dose of Spikevax given six to eight months after the second dose led to a rise in antibody levels in adults with waning antibody levels. While CHMP stated that the data indicated that side effects following a booster are similar to what occurs after a second dose, rare side effects (such as inflammatory heart conditions) are being carefully monitored.
Following this recommendation, European public health bodies may issue official recommendations on booster doses at a national level. Earlier this month, EMA issued a similar recommendation for Comirnaty, the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.
Source: EMA
