Vaccines against COVID-19 Pfizer can be stored at the usual temperatures found in pharmaceutical freezers for a period of two weeks, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said Thursday.
This authorization It relaxes a previous requirement that vaccines had to be stored at temperatures between -80 and -60 degrees Cº.
“The alternative temperature for transport and storage will require the purchase of ultra-low cold storage equipment for vaccination sites and should help get the vaccine in more placessaid Peter Marks, director of the FDA’s Center for Biological Evaluation and Research.
Pharmaceutical freezers usually operate at around -20 degrees Celsius.
The action was taken after Pfizer filed an application following the results of its investigation into the stability of the vaccine at higher temperatures.
The Pfizer vaccine is based on a new technology that uses synthetic mRNA (messenger ribonucleic acid) molecules that provide genetic instructions to human cells to create part of the coronavirus.
MRNA molecules are encapsulated in fat particles to protect them and require lower storage measures
Once thawed, the vials can be stored at two to eight degrees Celsius for up to five days. At room temperature, they don’t last longer than two hours.
JM
