AstraZeneca vaccine. Reuters Yonhap News
The European Union (EU) executive committee officially approved the conditional sale of a novel coronavirus infection (Corona 19) vaccine jointly developed by multinational pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca and Oxford University in the UK. It is the third Corona 19 vaccine approved by the EU after the vaccine developed by US pharmaceutical company Pfizer-Germany Bioentech and US Modena.
According to the Associated Press, etc., Ursula von der Raien, executive chairman of the executive committee, announced on Twitter on the 29th (local time) that the vaccine had been approved for sale, saying, “We are committed to securing a vaccine for Europeans, our neighbors, We will continue to do everything.”
The EU’s decision came a few hours after the European Medicines Agency (EMA) said, “As a result of evaluating the quality, safety, and efficacy of the AstraZeneca vaccine, it recommends approval for conditional use over the age of 18.” The EMA said the vaccine should be given in two doses and should be between 4 and 12 weeks apart.
Earlier, observations were raised that the German government recommended that those over 65 should not get the AstraZeneca vaccine, and that the EMA would also mention this, but the content was not included. The EMA said that most of the participants in the vaccine trial were between 18 and 55 years of age, and that there are still not enough results to provide a measure of how well it will work in the ages over 55. However, he explained, “We expect that there will be a protective effect based on our experience with other vaccines, taking into account the immune response at the age group.”
Even if the AstraZeneca vaccine is officially approved, the EU must resolve the issues surrounding the initial supply with pharmaceutical companies. The EU has signed a contract to purchase 400 million doses of this vaccine on behalf of the member states. However, on the 22nd, the two sides are having friction as the company notified that it will reduce EU supply in the first quarter from 80 million to 31 million doses due to a disruption in the production of Corona 19 vaccine. The EU is continuing its battles day after day, demanding that it meets the promised quantity even if it brings a vaccine produced in the UK, which is an offshore region. On the same day, the executive chairman of the Pon der Raien tweeted, “I expect the company to deliver 400 million batches as agreed.”
Heo Gyeongju reporter [email protected]
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