U.S. health officials on Tuesday authorized a plan to stretch the nation’s limited supply of monkeypox vaccine by giving people just one-fifth the usual dose, citing research suggesting that the reduced amount is about as effective.
FILE - A man holds a sign urging increased access to the monkeypox vaccine during a protest in San Francisco, July 18, 2022. U.S. health officials on Tuesday, August 9, 2022, authorized a new monkeypox vaccination strategy designed to stretch limited supplies by allowing health professionals to vaccinate up to five people instead of one with each vial. –
“It’s safe, it’s effective, and it will significantly scale the volume of vaccine doses available for communities across the country,” Robert Fenton, the White House’s monkeypox response coordinator, told reporters. The NIH is planning an additional trial of the technique. And Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said her agency is already starting to track real-world vaccine effectiveness in U.S. communities, though initial estimates will take time to generate.But some experts and advocates worried that with little data to support the policy, it could backfire if it reduces vaccine effectiveness.
The CDC said it will provide educational materials on the technique along with a broader awareness campaign for U.S. health departments.