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The European Medicines Agency (EMA) said on Friday that European countries could extend their limited supply of monkeypox vaccine by reducing monkeypox vaccine doses.
The agency’s advice is in line with the so-called split-dose approach approved by U.S. regulators, which involves using one vial of the vaccine to inject small amounts between layers instead of a single dose. Up to 5 separate doses can be given. of the skin (intradermal injection).
The vaccine, called Jynneos, Imvanex or Imvamune depending on the region, is designed to be injected into the fat layer under the skin known as a subcutaneous injection.
Monkeypox: What You Need to Know About the Virus and How to Protect Yourself
According to the EMA, as a temporary measure, national authorities will release the vaccine in low doses to protect at-risk individuals during the current monkeypox epidemic while vaccine supplies are limited. You may decide to use it as an intradermal injection.
This recommendation is based on a study of approximately 500 adults comparing the performance of vaccines administered intradermally or subcutaneously with two doses approximately one month apart.
According to EMA, those who received intradermal injections, who received one-fifth of the subcutaneous dose, produced similar levels of antibodies as those who received the first subcutaneous dose.
However, the agency warned of a high risk of local reactions such as redness, thickening or discoloration of the skin following intradermal injection.
Texas confirms first U.S. death of monkeypox patient
Since early May, more than 40,000 confirmed cases of monkeypox have been reported in more than 80 countries where the virus is not endemic. This includes a small number of fatalities.
The World Health Organization has declared the outbreak a global health emergency. The vaccine manufactured by Bavarian Nordic is in short supply.
Some countries are expanding available doses to make the most of existing supplies, but the results are unknown.
The UK, Canada and Germany are giving one dose per person instead of two.