FDA gives approval for syringes to extract an extra dose from vials of the Covid-19 vaccinel

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Sat, 2021-01-23 10:38 — mike kraft

FDA gives approval for syringes to extract an extra dose from vials of the Covid-19 vaccine As states are clamoring for more supplies of Covid-19 vaccines, Pfizer and the FDA are enabling pharmacists and health practitioners to extract more of the doses from each vial. Travis Caldwell, CNN CNN

(CNN) As the US set a new daily record for Covid-19 inoculations and states clamored for more vaccine supplies, Pfizer and the FDA said pharmacists and health practitioners can in some cases extract an additional dose from each vial.

Originally, each vial of Pfizer's Covid-19 vaccine was designed to contain five doses, but some pharmacists reported they could extract six doses when using certain syringes.

As a result, the FDA approved an updated label that states: "Low dead-volume syringes and/or needles can be used to extract six doses from a single vial. If standard syringes and needles are used, there may not be sufficient volume to extract a sixth dose from a single vial."

Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said this increase in doses per vial "provides an additional 20% capacity." The New York Times first reported Pfizer's plans to base its vaccine commitment on doses instead of vials.

However, CNN chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta said Friday the ability to garner the sixth dose with these syringes does not exist everywhere.

"Many places have them," Gupta told CNN's John Berman, "but not every place."

McKesson, a medical supplies company the federal government has contracted to help with distribution, said syringe kits that allow extraction of the sixth dose are being made available. ...

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