Expiry date of Sinovac, AstraZeneca, Pfizer vaccines to be extended
The Public Health Ministry has instructed hospitals under its jurisdiction to amend the expiry date of Covid-19 vaccines in their stock based on the manufacturers’ new registration details.
Thongchai Lertwilairatanapong, deputy permanent secretary for Public Health, issued a circular dated April 7 to all provincial public health chiefs to reset the expiry dates of vaccine doses and amend their stocks accordingly.
Under the new amendment, the expiry date for Sinovac doses will be extended from six months to 12, while the expiry dates for AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines will be extended from six months to nine months.
The memo explained that when the three vaccine manufacturers sought to register with the Thai Food and Drug Administration, they registered their vaccines under the FDA’s Conditional Approval for Emergency Use of Medical Products directive on July 24, 2020. This directive restricted the expiry date of medical products to six months.
Now, however, the manufacturers have re-registered their vaccines for non-emergency usage, which allows them to set the products’ normal expiry dates, namely 12 months for Sinovac and nine months for AstraZeneca and Pfizer.
The order covers CoronaVac produced by Sinovac Life Science bought from the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation, Vaxzevria bought from AstraZeneca Thailand and Comirnaty vaccines bought from Pfizer Thailand.
All vaccines bought from these manufacturers will now carry their true expiry date, the circular added.
