FDA allows more flexible storage, transportation conditions for Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine

FDA announced Thursday it has approved the transportation and storage of undiluted frozen vials of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at conventional temperatures commonly found in pharmaceutical freezers for a period of up to 2 weeks, instead of ultra-cold conditions. “This alternative temperature for transportation and storage of the undiluted vials is significant and allows the vials to be transported and stored under more flexible conditions,” said Peter Marks, MD, PhD, director of FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. “The alternative temperature for transportation and storage will help ease the burden of procuring ultra-low cold storage equipment for vaccination sites and should help to get vaccine to more sites.” Updates to the Fact Sheets for Health Care Providers Administering Vaccine (Vaccination Providers), which are available on the FDA website, aim to help frontline workers understand the new alternative transportation and storage temperatures.