European regulator approves Moderna Covid vaccine for use in EU

The European Medicines Agency recommended Moderna’s coronavirus vaccine for use in the European Union on Wednesday, at a time when critics are growing on the slow deployment of blows across the block.

“The EMA Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use carefully assessed the data on the quality, safety and efficacy of the vaccine and recommended by consensus that a formal conditional marketing authorization be granted by the Commission European Union, “the EMA said in a statement.

Emer Cooke, executive director of the Amsterdam-based EMA, added that Moderna’s vaccine “provides us with another tool to overcome the current emergency.” It paves the way for the European Commission, the EU’s executive arm, to follow suit.

Moderna’s vaccine is the second to be cleared by European regulators, but vaccines have already started distribution in the UK and US, where it was approved earlier.

Some lawmakers have expressed concern that the EU is only too slowly delivering coronavirus vaccines to its citizens.

The deployment of Covid-19 jabs varies across the block. France reported 516 vaccinations in the first week of its deployment, while Germany had performed around 240,000 vaccinations on Sunday. The Netherlands has yet to start vaccinating people against the coronavirus.

In addition, questions also arise as to whether enough vaccines have been purchased by the EU.

A number of officials have called on the European Commission, the EU’s executive arm, to explain why it hasn’t bought more jabs.

A spokesperson for the European Commission said on Monday that the institution was “very focused on ensuring that the implementation of our strategy is well done”.

Moderna shares edged up in pre-market trading following the announcement.