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WASHINGTON—Congressman Paul D. Tonko questioned COVID vaccine manufacturers at a Congressional hearing today on what limitations they are still facing in COVID vaccine production and what solutions they are considering to increase the supply and distribution of vaccinations across the United Sates. Today’s hearing was hosted by the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.

Watch the full exchange here or read below for full text of Rep. Tonko’s statement and questions to witnesses.

BRIEF REMARKS

Throughout my home district in New York’s Capital Region, both vaccine supply and access are still major issues. I have spoken with local families whose loved ones are in their 90s and can’t get a vaccine. How can this be?

Last week I sent a letter to the leaders of Pfizer and Moderna asking how Congress can help remove limitations on production and distribution so we can vastly increase access to vaccines. I ask the Chair for these two letters to be entered for the record.

We understand better than ever that vaccine production is incredibly complex, with bottlenecks possible up and down the line, from raw materials and supplies to storage and distribution, even just having enough highly-trained people working in lockstep coordination across the entire process.

While complex systems can be difficult to manage, they also present opportunities for efficiency and ingenuity.

I’d like to hear from you on how we can do better. What limitations are you running into? What solutions are you looking into for increasing production and expanding your manufacturing capacity?

QUESTIONS

Pfizer: Mr. Young,  millions of Americans are anxiously awaiting their vaccine and Pfizer is working around the clock to meet its obligations to provide doses to the United States. Is Pfizer currently producing at full capacity? 

What would it take to produce even more quickly? 

Is it simply a matter of more money, more workforce, raw materials—or something else?

Moderna: Dr. Hoge, Moderna is seeking approval from FDA to increase the number of doses per vial from 10 to up to 15.  While that’s encouraging news, you’ve estimated it could take two to three months to make these adjustments. What would be the impact of increasing the number of doses in each vial? 

Why will this adjustment take so much time, and can anything be done to speed it up?

In January, Moderna’s CEO stated that if there is “one raw material missing, we cannot start making products and that capacity will be lost forever because we cannot make it up.” Is this an area where Congress or the federal government could be providing more support? 

Is there anything else, related to raw materials or otherwise, that we could be doing right now to help you boost your vaccine output?

CLOSING

Thank you all for your efforts.  It is imperative that we explore all possible avenues to ramp up production and expand manufacturing capacity of these lifesaving vaccines.

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