The Food and Drug Administration announced on Wednesday evening that Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine vials are supposed to hold five doses, but pharmacists have discovered a way to get one or two extra doses out of the bottles.
The FDA had told pharmacists the vials contain five doses, but it's been found that because they are overfilled in case of spillage, each vial could hold up to seven doses. Some pharmacists threw away the extra doses because they did not want to be in violation of the FDA's emergency use guidelines, but the agency told Politico that "given the public health emergency, FDA is advising that it is acceptable to use every full dose obtainable."
This will help the U.S. as it deals with a limited supply of the vaccine, possibly expanding the nation's inventory by up to 40 percent, Politico reports. Pfizer spokeswoman Sharon Castillo explained that "the amount of vaccine remaining in the multi-dose vial after removal of five doses can vary, depending on the type of needles and syringes used." Pfizer and the FDA have both said extra vaccine from vials should not be mixed together, due to the risk of contamination.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Testosterone therapy in women highlights the lack of women’s health researchThe explainer There is no FDA-approved testosterone product for women
-
Magazine solutions - November 7, 2025Puzzles and Quizzes Issue - November 7, 2025
-
Magazine printables - November 7, 2025Puzzles and Quizzes Issue - November 7, 2025
-
FDA OKs generic abortion pill, riling the rightSpeed Read The drug in question is a generic version of mifepristone, used to carry out two-thirds of US abortions
-
RFK Jr. vaccine panel advises restricting MMRV shotSpeed Read The committee voted to restrict access to a childhood vaccine against chickenpox
-
Texas declares end to measles outbreakSpeed Read The vaccine-preventable disease is still spreading in neighboring states, Mexico and Canada
-
RFK Jr. shuts down mRNA vaccine funding at agencySpeed Read The decision canceled or modified 22 projects, primarily for work on vaccines and therapeutics for respiratory viruses
-
Measles cases surge to 33-year highSpeed Read The infection was declared eliminated from the US in 2000 but has seen a resurgence amid vaccine hesitancy
-
Kennedy's vaccine panel signals skepticism, changeSpeed Read RFK Jr.'s new vaccine advisory board intends to make changes to the decades-old US immunization system
-
Kennedy ousts entire CDC vaccine advisory panelspeed read Health Secretary RFK Jr. is a longtime anti-vaccine activist who has criticized the panel of experts
-
RFK Jr. scraps Covid shots for pregnant women, kidsSpeed Read The Health Secretary announced a policy change without informing CDC officials
