The National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) released a note this Friday (17) in which it attests that the bivalent vaccines BA.1 and BA.4/BA.5 against covid-19, produced by the company Pfizer, are within expiry date and therefore can be used safely. In the document, Anvisa points out that immunizers can be used within a period of 18 months, from the date of manufacture of the products. “Previously approved for use in up to 12 months, these vaccines underwent a rigorous technical evaluation process by the Agency for stability studies, before approval of the extension of the validity period”, says the note. The evaluation of the data from the studies also showed, according to Anvisa, that there was no change in the quality specifications of the vaccines in the additional period to the previously authorized period. “The vaccines are safe, effective and can be used by the National Immunization Program of the Ministry of Health, according to the stability studies evaluated and approved by the Agency”, guarantees director Meiruze Sousa Freitas. Regarding the extension of the validity period, Anvisa points out that it is allowed through measures of communication and traceability of batches, adopted by Pfizer. Among these measures is the inclusion, on Pfizer’s electronic portal and Comirnaty Education’s electronic portal, of the listing of all batches available in Brazil and their respective expiry dates, for consultation by citizens and health professionals involved in the application of vaccines. Conservation care has not changed. Variants Pfizer’s bivalent vaccines offer protection against the original variant of the virus that causes Covid-19 and against strains that have emerged later, including Omicron, the variant of concern at the time. These vaccines were authorized for use as a booster dose in the population aged 12 and over. Anvisa reinforces that immunization remains essential in the fight against covid-19, especially in preventing serious cases and deaths. Waste This week, the Ministry of Health released a note informing that it lost millions of doses of vaccines against covid-19. According to the folder, this happened because the government of former President Jair Bolsonaro denied the transition team information about stocks and validity of vaccines. “In all, including the amount lost in 2023, the waste of vaccines against covid-19 has reached 38.9 million doses since 2021. A loss of about R$ 2 billion to public coffers”, reported the folder. According to the secretary of Health and Environment Surveillance of the Ministry of Health, Ethel Maciel, the management of former President Jair Bolsonaro did not share data on stocks with President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s team during the transition of government.
Agência Brasil
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