FDA to authorize “mix-and-match” booster shots

A U.S. health official said the government is preparing to ease some requirements this week as it continues to deliberate COVID-19 boosters. While original guidance said people should receive a second dose or booster of the same brand as their initial shot, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is expected to remove that stipulation. A National Institutes of Health study showed any booster combination still increased antibodies, but the study has yet to be peer-reviewed. The data showed the greatest antibody increase in Johnson & Johnson recipients who received a Pfizer or Moderna booster.

Why the change? Officials hope that the shift will improve access to booster shots and alleviate concerns about vaccine reaction. If someone had an adverse reaction to one shot, now they can try a different brand. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention previously stressed that an individual should receive no more than three mRNA vaccine doses.

Dig deeper: Read Heather Frank’s report in Beginnings about abortion-linked cells in scientific research.