An advisory panel to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is set to convene on Wednesday to review data on the Pfizer and BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine in adolescents aged 12 to 15 years.

At present, the vaccine is authorized for use in those aged 16 years and above. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) will vote on the expanded use of this vaccine in the new age group. The makers had requested U.S. health regulators in April to extend the vaccine’s use following results from a clinical trial showing that it was safe, effective and produced strong antibody responses in 12- to 15-year-olds. The CDC director had said last month that she expects the vaccine to be authorized for the lower age group by middle of May… (Reuters, May 7, 2021)