Topic: Pfizer Boosters

The FDA authorized new COVID-19 booster shots from Pfizer and Moderna to target the latest strains, including the BA.2.86 variant. While national cases are not currently in a "worrisome wave," health officials are warning of a potential "winter wave." The discussion notes that the federal government will no longer pay for the shots, with costs shifting to private insurance and Medicare at approximately $120 per dose.

A report from NTD News cites a German study published in Science Immunology regarding the effects of mRNA boosters on IgG4 antibodies. Dr. Robert Malone comments on the potential for these injections to cause more harm than good in young, healthy populations. The research suggests that repeated boosting may induce immune tolerance rather than active protection against infection.

Dr. Paul Offit, a member of the FDA Vaccine Advisory Committee, publicly warns that new COVID-19 boosters are being authorized based solely on mouse data rather than human clinical trials. He criticizes the FDA for not consulting its independent advisory committee, which he argues reduces transparency. The hosts suggest Offit is "covering his ass" as public sentiment shifts.

The CDC has authorized new bivalent COVID-19 boosters from Pfizer and Moderna designed to target the BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron sub-variants. These shots are being rolled out to pharmacies and health centers across the U.S., with the government purchasing 170 million doses. Health officials noted that the new formulations were primarily tested on mice, as human clinical trial data was not yet available at the time of the rollout.

The FDA has authorized new "upgraded" bivalent COVID-19 boosters from Pfizer and Moderna designed to target the Omicron subvariants. Public health officials admit the new shots were primarily tested on mice rather than humans to speed up the rollout before a potential winter surge. Experts acknowledge that while the boosters may provide a modest benefit, they are unlikely to provide "super strong shielding" against infection.

Moderna has requested FDA emergency use authorization for a second COVID-19 booster shot for all adults, while Pfizer's request is limited to those 65 and older. The World Health Organization (WHO) monitors the BA.2 subvariant, describing it as a "recombinant" of Delta and Omicron.

Pfizer has submitted data to the FDA requesting emergency use authorization for a fourth dose of its COVID-19 vaccine for individuals aged 65 and older. The request is based on two sets of data from Israel suggesting that an additional booster improves protection against severe illness from the Omicron variant. This move comes as the BA.2 sub-variant begins to make up a larger percentage of new cases in the United States.

Health officials are tracking a sub-variant of Omicron known as BA.2, or "Stealth Omicron," which has been detected in over 50 countries. Pfizer has initiated trials for an Omicron-specific booster, while some analysts suggest the focus on new variants is a strategy to move existing vaccine inventory. Experts in Scandinavia describe BA.2 as more transmissible but likely similar in clinical severity to the original Omicron strain.

Republican lawmakers, led by Senator Ted Cruz and Representative Chip Roy, sent a letter to the FDA demanding answers on why the agency bypassed its Vaccine Advisory Committee when authorizing Pfizer boosters for 12-to-15-year-olds. The lawmakers cited concerns over the low risk of severe COVID-19 in teens and potential risks of cardiac adverse events like myocarditis.

The European Union and Israel are moving toward requiring booster shots to maintain "fully vaccinated" status, with Israel beginning a fourth dose rollout. Virologists on the "This Week in Virology" program noted that vaccine efficacy against infection may only last approximately four months.

The CDC has recommended Pfizer booster shots for 16 and 17-year-olds as new COVID-19 cases rise by 20% in a week. Pfizer executives suggested that the Omicron variant might necessitate a fourth vaccine dose sooner than previously anticipated. The hosts question why NPR cited the Rockefeller Foundation for pandemic data rather than official government health agencies like the CDC.

NPR features segments promoting booster shots for all adults, citing data from Israel and the UK to justify the expanded rollout. Simultaneously, a judge bans MSNBC from the Kyle Rittenhouse courtroom after a freelancer was caught following the jury bus. The incident is characterized as an attempt at jury intimidation by the media outlet.

An FDA panel voted unanimously to recommend Moderna booster shots for seniors and high-risk individuals six months after their initial series. Unlike the Pfizer booster, the Moderna version is a half-dose, which officials claim is sufficient to restore immunity levels.

Israel's "Green Pass" policy has faced over 50,000 complaints after the government updated the definition of "fully vaccinated" to require a third booster shot. In the United States, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky stated that the definition of fully vaccinated currently remains two doses of mRNA vaccines or one dose of Johnson & Johnson, though she noted the "door is open" for future changes as booster eligibility expands.

Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla and the CEO of Moderna both indicated that the world is moving toward a scenario of annual COVID-19 re-vaccinations. While Bourla suggested life could return to "normal" within a year, he emphasized that vaccinations would remain a permanent fixture of daily life. The discussion also touches on the naming of future variants, including the "Omega" variant.

CBS News reported on the FDA's authorization of Pfizer booster shots for individuals over 65 and high-risk groups. The report highlighted the Biden administration's purchase of half a billion doses for global donation and the deployment of the National Guard to overwhelmed hospitals in Kentucky. The hosts question the financial motivations behind the massive vaccine purchases.

The FDA advisory committee held an eight-hour meeting resulting in a recommendation against COVID-19 booster shots for the general population, limiting them instead to those 65 and older or the immunocompromised. Dr. Ashish Jha and other experts noted that the initial two doses remain highly effective at preventing hospitalization for young, healthy individuals.

Journalist Alex Berenson reported that Pfizer's request for a third booster dose was based on limited clinical data, including a trial that featured no participants over the age of 55. Critics argue that the FDA is being pressured to approve boosters without adequate testing on the high-risk elderly populations who would actually receive them.

The FDA's advisory committee is scheduled to meet on September 17 to discuss booster doses for the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. Moderna is proposing a half-dose booster, which critics suggest is a strategy to double their sales volume. The World Health Organization continues to oppose boosters in wealthy nations while much of the developing world remains unvaccinated.

A rivalry between Pfizer and Moderna has emerged as the Biden administration pushes for COVID-19 booster shots, with Moderna seeking approval for a half-dose regimen to stretch supply. In Israel, the "green passport" system now requires boosters every six months, leading to the concept of "Immunity as a Service."