EU: Vaccine safety is a priority
The priority of the European Union is “the safety of vaccines” stressed Stella Kyriakidou during the teleconference of the European Ministers of Health. “It must be clear to everyone that all vaccines will be evaluated for their safety, quality and effectiveness. This is how we can persuade people to get vaccinated. “It is the vaccinations that will save lives and not the vaccines,” he underlined characteristically.
He added that the EU will make every effort to proceed with conditional authorization procedures as soon as possible when the European Medicines Agency has given a positive scientific opinion.
Ms Kyriakidou also focused on co-operation between member states, noting that “we need genuine co-operation, co-ordination and solidarity to control the pandemic”. “We can do it together, so let’s move on, taking all the necessary measures until we have a safe and effective vaccine that will keep our citizens safe,” he concluded.
“European process slower but safer”
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) had previously said that the longest vaccine approval process was the safest option, in the wake of Britain’s approval, which became the first Western country to give the “green” light “for coronavirus vaccinations.
Asked about the UK’s move to approve the Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine, Coreper said it considered conditional marketing authorization to be the most appropriate regulatory mechanism to be used in the current emergency. due to pandemic.
The agency added that the process is based on more evidence and more scrutiny than the urgent strategy chosen by Britain.
When will vaccine evaluations be completed?
It is recalled that yesterday, Tuesday, Coreper had announced that it would announce its conclusion by January 29, with the Commission clarifying that, once the approval is given, the vaccine will be released a few days later.
The EMA also announced that it has applied for a marketing authorization for the candidate vaccine of Moderna Inc and that, if the data is sufficient, it will complete its evaluation of this vaccine by 12 January.
Who will be the first to be vaccinated in Britain?
Vaccines will be given priority to people in Britain depending on the risk they face, but operational practical issues may affect who gets it first, said the chairman of the country’s Joint Vaccination and Immunization Committee.
The highest priority will be given to tenants and nursing home staff, followed by those over the age of 80 and health workers at the forefront of the battle with COVID-19.
Pfizer and BioNTech have also applied for approval in Europe
It is noted that the companies Pfizer and BioNTech submitted the third application to the European Medicines Agency for the conditional approval of their vaccine. A relevant request has been submitted to the competent US authorities.
The two companies announced on November 18 the final results of the third phase of their COVID-19 vaccine, according to which it is 95% effective in preventing infection, without causing serious side effects.
In addition, the American Moderna Inc. submitted the necessary data for the mRNA vaccine that it developed on Monday, to the control bodies of USA, Europe and Britain, requesting the granting of its emergency use.
The preparation of the Primary Health Care units in Greece is in progress.
with information from Reuters
