Covid-19, the EMA gives the green light to the Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine
Rights — di Andrea Barolini
On Monday 21 December, the European Medicines Agency granted approval for the marketing of the Covid-19 vaccine.
Covid-19, the EMA gives the green light to the Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine
On Monday 21 December, the European Medicines Agency granted approval for the marketing of the Covid-19 vaccine.
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has granted its authorisation for the marketing of the vaccine against Covid-19 produced by the American pharmaceutical company Pfizer and the German company BioNTech. The decision came, as expected, on the afternoon of Monday 21 December, following a meeting of the senior leadership of the European body.
📢 EMA has just recommended granting a conditional marketing authorisation for the #COVID19vaccine developed by BioNTech/ Pfizer, to prevent #COVID19 in people from 16 years of age.
👉Read our press release: ema.europa.eu/en/news/ema-re…
👉Read our press release: ema.europa.eu/en/news/ema-re…
The vaccine already approved in numerous countries
The 27 member states of the European Union thus join the other nations that had already given the green light to the vaccine: the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Singapore, Israel and Switzerland. "I am particularly pleased to announce that the agency's scientific committee met today and gave its favourable opinion on the marketing of the vaccine in the European Union," declared the EMA's Executive Director, Emer Cooke, during an online press conference.
It should be noted, however, that the marketing authorisation is not universal, but subject to certain restrictions — in particular with regard to age: the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine may only be administered to people who have turned 16 years old. From a legal standpoint, moreover, the EMA's opinion will need to be followed by a decision from the European Commission.
Pfizer/BioNTech Covid vaccine approved by European regulator theguardian.com/society/2020/d…
Confirmation from the European Commission awaited
At that point, each country will be able to launch its vaccination campaign, which will begin with the categories considered most at risk (healthcare workers and elderly people or those with pre-existing conditions). "This is a decisive step in the efforts to give Europeans a lifeline. We will act swiftly. I expect the Commission's decision as early as this evening," stated the President of the Brussels executive body, Ursula von der Leyen.