After the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) delayed authorization of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine last week for children under the age of five in the United States, parents are making a passionate plea for its off-label use, according to a recent Guardian report.
Last summer, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) advised against off-label use for children under the age of 12, said 2021 AAP President Dr. Lee Savio Beers in a statement.
“The dose may be different for younger ages. The AAP recommends against giving the vaccine to children under 12 [years] until authorized by the FDA.”
The 10-microgram vaccine authorized for kids five to 11 has not been studied in younger children, who receive a 3-microgram dose in the Pfizer-BioNTech pediatric trial, so it’s possible children younger than five can have more side effects if they receive the higher dose, according to the Guardian.
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But the paper noted some parents and physicians argue the clinical trials have already demonstrated the 3-microgram dose is safe in young children.
“I don’t see a difference in a child four years and five years, except for the age – the immune system works the same,” said Dr, Wolfgang von Meissner, a family doctor in Germany.
