Pfizer’s vaccine is already authorized for everyone 5 years and older, while Moderna’s shots are limited to adults. Moderna has previously requested authorization of its vaccine for children between the ages of 6 and 17. The company said it plans to submit data supporting and updating those requests in about two weeks.
The F.D.A. appears to want to consider Moderna’s applications to vaccinate several age groups at the same time. Dr. Peter Marks, who oversees vaccine regulation, testified at a Senate hearing this week that it takes more time to review applications that cover a broader swath of the population.
If so, that stance could trigger criticism. “That would certainly make the messaging somewhat easier: ‘Here’s this vaccine. It’s now available for all kids,’” Dr. Jesse L. Goodman, a former chief scientist with the F.D.A., said in an interview Thursday.
But, he added: “The Pfizer vaccine is available for the older children. This younger group right now is the major unmet need. I don’t think there would be something wrong with authorizing the vaccine for the younger ones first, if they were ready.”
The agency set June 28 for the advisory committee to consider the issue of how best to update the existing vaccines. Researchers working for the National Institutes of Health and vaccine manufacturers have been racing to try to redesign the vaccines so they are more effective against newer virus variants. Federal health officials have said they need to choose one or more revised versions by June in order to manufacture doses by the fall, when they expect the coronavirus to resurge.
The agency also said that it plans to present vaccine data on June 7 from Novavax, which has developed a vaccine using a more conventional approach than the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna shots that have now been used to inoculate hundreds of millions of Americans.
Those vaccines are based on newer messenger RNA technology, while Novavax’s vaccine is protein-based. Protein-based vaccines have been used for decades and generally have a strong track record of safety and mild side effects.
If authorized, it is not clear what role Novavax vaccine would play in the nation’s vaccination program. But some experts suggest that people who are hesitant to take the Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech shots might be more willing to accept the more conventional Novavax doses. It is also possible that a protein-based vaccine might work well as a booster to Pfizer or Moderna shots.