The FDA's vaccine panel on Sept. 17 voted against approving a booster dose of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine in the general population.
In a meeting of the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee broadcast on the FDA's YouTube channel, 16 of the committee's 18 members voted that there was not enough safety and effectiveness data to approve a third Pfizer dose for people 16 years and older.
Pfizer had asked the FDA to approve a third dose of its COVID-19 vaccine in people ages 16 and older at least six months after the second dose.
The panel did vote to recommend the FDA authorize a booster shot for people 65 years and older or people at high risk of severe COVID-19.
The FDA is not required to follow the panel's vote, but it often does. The panel is made up of independent scientific experts, infectious disease physicians and statisticians.
The FDA likely will make its decision early next week, according to The New York Times.