Physicians and state officials have been asking the White House to require drugmakers to send COVID-19 vaccines in smaller vials holding just one or two doses so providers don't have to worry about wasting shots, but White House officials and pharmacy experts say making that shift quickly would be "virtually impossible," Politico reported July 16.
Some experts say vials holding one or two doses would allow primary care offices, pharmacies and mobile clinics to give COVID-19 vaccines when they find willing patients, without worrying about wasting the other doses in the vial.
"This is something that should be done because it is more efficient and because we do it with other vaccines," Maine health official Nirav Shah, MD, told Politico.
Currently, COVID-19 vaccines are shipped in vials containing five to 15 doses. Once the vials are opened, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson's vaccines must be used within six hours, and Moderna's must be used within 12 hours.
The CDC and state officials are urging providers not to worry about wasting doses if they can't give all the doses in a vial before it expires. But Oklahoma's deputy health commissioner, Keith Reed, told Politico some rural providers are refusing to give COVID-19 shots due to concerns about waste.
White House officials told Politico they understand the potential benefits of smaller vials, but quickly shifting to those vials would be virtually impossible and unlikely to make a major impact on vaccination rates. It would take years and cost billions to change up production lines, Politico reported. Drugmakers would have to obtain hundreds of millions of smaller vials, and the global glass market was already experiencing shortages before the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Theoretically, smaller vials make sense in the normal course of practice. But to do vaccinations at the volume we've been doing it — it's just not practical," a senior administration official told Politico.
Pfizer and Moderna told Politico they're working on different packaging but didn't offer details on when that may be available. Moderna said it is planning to "gradually" reduce vial sizes and that it's working with the federal government to optimize supply and minimize waste. Johnson & Johnson declined to comment to Politico.
Experts told Politico that single-dose vials for COVID-19 vaccines may eventually be available, especially if booster shots are needed.
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