National

Canada under pressure to change Pfizer doses label

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 27 Jan, 2021 06:59 PM

Canada's procurement department is scrambling to source smaller syringes for Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, anticipating that Health Canada will agree to change the label to say each vial of the precious substance contains six doses instead of five.

Pfizer formally requested the change Jan. 22, and Health Canada's regulatory team that approved the vaccine for use Dec. 9 is now considering the new material.

If the label is amended, Pfizer will ship fewer vials to Canada overall because Canada's contract with the vaccine-maker is based on 40 million doses, not vials.

That sixth dose was a surprise find by medical professionals who found using special syringes could extract the extra dose.

But those syringes are not common and have become the latest COVID-19 hot commodity after both Europe and the United States agreed to the label change earlier this month.

A spokeswoman for Procurement Minister Anita Anand says more than 87 million of the smaller syringes have been ordered but can't say how many have been delivered or when the rest will arrive.

We share the urgency of Cdns to ensure vaccine access as rapidly as possible.🇨🇦 is on track to receive doses for all Cdns who wish to be vaccinated by end of Sept.

I am in touch with Pfizer on a daily basis incl. this evening. We're on it & will stay on it until the job is done. https://t.co/z6re02grNm pic.twitter.com/bKQDQC4UWQ
— Anita Anand (@AnitaOakville) January 22, 2021

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

Crown says convicted killer has 'selective memory'

Janet Dickie told the British Columbia Appeal Court on Wednesday that Phillip Tallio has exaggerated some aspects of his testimony while giving different details about his whereabouts around the crime scene in Bella Coola on April 23, 1983.

Crown says convicted killer has 'selective memory'

B.C. cabinet built to tackle pandemic: observers

After Horgan won 57 of 87 seats in last month's B.C. election, the pandemic and its impact on people's health and the economy will be the constant focus of the new cabinet, said Harcourt.

B.C. cabinet built to tackle pandemic: observers

Ontario alleges $11M COVID benefit fraud

According to the lawsuit, Sanjay Madan and his family opened more than 400 accounts at the Bank of Montreal between April and May. They then deposited around 10,000 cheques made out to fictitious applicants with thousands of non-existent children under the support program.

Ontario alleges $11M COVID benefit fraud

B.C. woman collapses after mask confrontation

Rob Little, manager of The Adventure Hotel, says it happened last Friday when their accountant was called to help deal with a man who was shouting and ignoring new provincial rules to wear a mask to slow the spread of COVID-19.

B.C. woman collapses after mask confrontation

Tam urges Canadians to limit outings to essentials

Dr. Theresa Tam warned that the number of people experiencing severe cases of COVID-19 is continuing to rise, putting a strain on health-care services and forcing hospitals to cancel surgeries. She said it's safest to limit errands and outings to essentials and to avoid socializing with people beyond one's household.

Tam urges Canadians to limit outings to essentials

RCMP didn't send Meng device info to FBI: Mountie

Sgt. Janice Vander Graaf says her subordinate, Const. Gurvinder Dhaliwal, who was in charge of overseeing the electronics seized from Meng in 2018, initially told her that a senior officer in the RCMP's financial integrity unit had shared the serial numbers for her devices with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.