As boxes of Pfizer vaccines began arriving around the country this week, hospital pharmacists made a surprising discovery: Some of the glass vials that are supposed to hold five doses contained enough for a sixth — or even a seventh — person. But it also set off a wave of confusion and debate over whether to use the extra doses, or to throw them out. At Northwell Health in New York, for example, an executive estimated that the hospital network might have thrown out enough extra vaccine to account for 15 to 20 doses while it waited for guidance from the state health department. In a statement, the Food and Drug Administration said that, “given the public health emergency,” it was acceptable to use every full dose left over in each vial. The agency said it was consulting with Pfizer to determine “the best path forward” and advised health officials not to pool doses from multiple vials.

Source: New York Times December 16, 2020 23:27 UTC