[ad_1]
The World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday approved the Pfizer and BioNTech coronavirus vaccine for emergency use.
The vaccine, which goes by the name Comirnaty, is the first coronavirus vaccine to be approved by the agency and added to its Emergency Use List (EUL), according to the announcement.
The WHO emergency use authorization follows approval of the vaccine by the US FDA on December 11 and the European Commission on December 21.
FDA APPROVES PFIZER CORONAVIRUS VACCINE FOR DISTRIBUTION
By adding the vaccine to the WHO emergency uses list, the agency has enabled countries “to speed up their own regulatory approval processes to import and administer the vaccine,” the announcement said.
EUL also enables UNICEF and the Pan American Health Organization to obtain and distribute the vaccine to countries in need.
EU GREENLIGHTS PFIZER-BIONTECH COVID-19 VACCINE
In Thursday’s announcement, Dr Mariângela Simão, WHO Assistant Director-General for Access to Medicines and Health Products, stressed the need for global access to the vaccine.
“This is a very positive step in ensuring global access to COVID-19 vaccines,” said Simão. “But I would like to stress the need for an even greater global effort to achieve sufficient vaccine supply to meet the needs of priority populations everywhere.”
CORONAVIRUS VACCINE DISTRIBUTION PLANS: STATE BY STATE BREAKDOWN
“WHO and our partners are working day and night to evaluate other vaccines that have met standards for safety and efficacy,” added Simão. “We are encouraging even more developers to come forward for review and assessment. It is vitally important that we secure the critical supply needed to serve every country in the world and contain the pandemic.”
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
The WHO has not clarified what role, if any, vaccine approval could play in its COVAX strategy, which aims to provide access to COVID-19 vaccines in developing countries. However, the agency said the vaccine was undergoing a policy review.
CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER
WHO’s strategic advisory group of experts on immunization will formulate “vaccine-specific policies and recommendations” for the Pfizer vaccine and BioNTech in the new year, according to the announcement.
The agency will also help countries that do not have easy access to ultra-cold chain equipment, as the vaccine must be stored between -60 ° C and -90 ° C.
[ad_2]
Source link