One week after approving the use of the Pfizer / BioNTech vaccine , the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved another vaccine for emergency use, that of Moderna.
The emergency use authorization came after a panel of FDA external advisors voted unanimously, with one abstention, to recommend the use of the vaccine.
"The speed of these authorizations reflects the urgency of the pandemic and is a testament to the scientific advances that have enabled the rapid development of vaccines," said immunologist James Hildreth, president of Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee, at the panel meeting Thursday. "Switching from a sequence of the virus in January to two vaccines available in December is an extraordinary achievement."
How does the Moderna vaccine differ from the Pfizer vaccine?
Efficacy: Both vaccines have shown similar efficacy levels, of approximately 95%.
Structure: Both vaccines rely on messenger RNA, but their composition is slightly different. They have different so-called lipid delivery systems, meaning the type of fat point at which the RNA message is located. This is why they have different storage and handling characteristics.
Storage: The Moderna vaccine does not need to be stored in very cold temperatures, like the Pfizer vaccine which should be stored at minus-75 degrees Celsius. The Moderna vaccine can be kept at around minus -20 degrees Celsius.
Dosage and time: The Moderna vaccine is administered as two doses of 100 micrograms given with a difference of 28 days. The Pfizer vaccine is administered as two doses of 30 micrograms, 21 days apart.
Age: The Modern vaccine will be used in people aged 18 and over, while the Pfizer vaccine is authorized for people 16 and older.
Sources: Nature, CNN
