EU may soon approve new use of Pfizer vaccine increasing doses by 20%, says source

The European drugs regulator could soon give the go ahead for an extra sixth dose to be extracted from Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine vials, an EU official told Reuters on Wednesday, lifting the number of available shots at a time when supplies are short.

EU countries started inoculating people with the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine two weeks ago, after the European Medicines Agency (EMA) recommended the shot's conditional approval under an authorisation which allows five doses to be extracted from each vial.

The agency is now considering whether to give the go ahead for an extra dose to be taken from each vial. The source, who asked to remain anonymous because discussions are not public, said the change to the authorisation could come "very soon".

"The company has submitted a request for change, which is being reviewed by the CHMP (human medicines committee) in...