Good news could be right around the corner. Pfizer (PFE 0.72%) and Moderna (MRNA 2.66%) hope to soon win FDA emergency use authorizations (EUA) for their respective COVID-19 vaccines. Assuming all goes well, the drugmakers could ship their vaccines this month.
In this Motley Fool Live video recorded on Dec. 3, 2020, Healthcare and Cannabis Bureau Chief Corinne Cardina and Fool.com writer Keith Speights discuss how many doses Pfizer and Moderna will realistically be able to make available to Americans by the end of the year.
Corinne Cardina: In terms of dosing, how many doses have Pfizer and Moderna said that they will be able to produce and what's the timeline there?
Keith Speights: Pfizer has stated that they would be able to produce up to 50 million doses by the end of the year. Moderna has said they will be able to produce around 20 million doses.
But the thing to keep in mind there is Pfizer particularly included the word "globally" in their statements. So 50 million doses globally doesn't mean all of those go to the US.
I think the best estimate is what the CDC is saying, they have reported that they're expecting around 40 million doses available for Americans by the end of the year between those two vaccines. Then after that, receiving 5-10 million new doses per week.
I would go with that 40 million dose level by the end of the year. That's probably more accurate than totaling the 50 and 20 million doses that Pfizer and Moderna have said.
