Biden careful not to play favorites but Pfizer enjoys some 'comparative advantage' in mandate era

The COVID-19 vaccine from Pfizer and BioNTech was the first to reach American arms, and it accounts for over half of the 380 million doses administered in the U.S.

The shot has another advantage as the nation hurtles into a period in which workers must either get vaccinated or lose their jobs: It’s the only vaccine fully licensed by the Food and Drug Administration, lending it preferred status as President Biden says regulatory approval should reassure holdouts.

Biden didn’t tell Americans which version to take in a speech outlining his plan to mandate COVID-19 vaccines at large companies, but he pointed to FDA approval as a key reason.

“There’s no question that a great deal of hesitancy has come from the perception of experimental vaccines, not yet fully approved and lacking research into their long-term effects.

Pfizer should have a comparative advantage in the public eye until the other vaccine makers earn full approval,” said Michael Bars, a senior communications adviser in the Trump White House.

The agencies could grant approval to Pfizer in the coming days as they continue to analyze booster data from Moderna.

23, the day FDA regulators fully approved the Pfizer vaccine, suggesting licensure hasn’t produced a massive shift in preferences.

Unlike the initial rollout, when officials told Americans to take whatever shot they could get, the vaccines now are plentiful and consumers can be choosy.

“At Pfizer, we are aware that to put an end to this pandemic, we need multiple vaccines and treatments from multiple sources.

The confluence of mixed approval status and Mr.

Biden‘s mandates “may lead to friction because the other manufacturers will say, ‘We’re not fully licensed yet, but we’re very good,’” said Arthur Caplan, director of the division of medical ethics at the New York University Grossman School of Medicine.

Moderna declined to comment on whether it would perceive the disparity in FDA approval status as a problem as Mr.

Maintaining faith in all three vaccines while highlighting the benefits of FDA approval will be a balancing act for White House messengers.

He said the vaccines are effective at staving off disease and highlighted the FDA approval without specifying which company secured it

“Of the nearly 80 million eligible Americans who have not gotten vaccinated, many said they were waiting for approval from the Food and Drug Administration — the FDA

“Mandatory vaccination against COVID-19 will only use COVID-19 vaccines that receive full licensure from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), in accordance with FDA-approved labeling and guidance,” Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin wrote in mandating COVID-19 vaccination for U.S