CHMP Recommends Booster Dose Consideration for Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine

The European Medical Agency’s (EMA) Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) announced on Oct. 25th, 2021, that a booster dose of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine, Spikevax, may be considered in people 18 or older.

According to an agency press release, this decision was made following data showing that a third dose of Spikevax given six to eight months after the second dose led to a rise in antibody levels in adults with waning antibody levels. While CHMP stated that the data indicated that side effects following a booster are similar to what occurs after a second dose, rare side effects (such as inflammatory heart conditions) are being carefully monitored.

Following this recommendation, European public health bodies may issue official recommendations on booster doses at a national level. Earlier this month, EMA issued a similar recommendation for Comirnaty, the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.