A vial of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.Jose More/VWPics/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
Federal officials are bumping up the number of COVID-19 vaccines allowed in vials of the Moderna shot, in a move that is expected to give a boost to shipments of the drug.
Moderna is now allowed to put 13 to 15 doses in a vial, up from 10, the FDA said in an announcement Thursday.
The agency also allowed for 11 doses to be extracted from current vials of 10.
“Both of these revisions positively impact the supply of Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine, which will help provide more vaccine doses to communities and allow shots to get into arms more quickly,” Peter Marks, M.D., Ph.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research said.
“Ultimately, more vaccines getting to the public in a timely manner should help bring an end to the pandemic more rapidly.”
The FDA added that squeezing extra doses out of the vials is dependent on using the right types of syringes and needles.
The FDA is increasing the amount of doses permitted in an individual vial of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. SOPA Images/LightRocket via Gett