Extra doses of Pfizer vaccine could expand U.S. supply

• Extra doses could expand the country's inventory, and help mitigate the possibility of demand eclipsing supply, Politico, which first reported the news, writes.

What they're saying: "At this time, given the public health emergency, FDA is advising that it is acceptable to use every full dose obtainable (the sixth, or possibly even a seventh) from each vial, pending resolution of the issue," the FDA tweeted Wednesday evening.

• The agency explained it was working with Pfizer to determine “the best path forward."
• But, but, but: "The amount of vaccine remaining in the multidose vial after removal of 5 doses can vary, depending on the type of needles and syringes used," Pfizer said in a statement.
• "At this time, we cannot provide a recommendation on the use of the remaining amount of vaccine from each vial. Vaccinators need to consult their institution’s policies for the use of multidose vials."

The state of play: Pfizer's glass vials were expected to contain five doses, but pharmacists noticed enough for six to seven.

• Federal health officials are telling states to use the extra doses — without contaminating across multiple vials — in an effort to meet demand as coronavirus cases continue to surge across the U.S.
• The U.S. hit a record 300,000 coronavirus-related deaths on Monday.

Context: The Trump administration is negotiating with Pfizer to purchase additional doses, but the pharmaceutical company might not be able to provide more vaccines until summer 2021, per Politico.

• Moderna, the only other company whose COVID-19 vaccine has been deemed safe and "highly effective" by the FDA, has agreed to provide doses for 200 million people by the end of June.