Second Covid vaccine approved by EU health agency

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) approved today (January 6) the US-developed Moderna vaccine for use in the EU.

It is the second vaccine against Covid-19 to gain EU approval after the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was given the green light on December 21, 2020. 

“EMA’s human medicines committee has thoroughly assessed the data on the quality, safety and efficacy of the vaccine and recommended by consensus a formal conditional marketing authorisation be granted by the European Commission,” EMA wrote in a statement.

It must now be given marketing authorisation by the European Commission, whose president, Ursula von der Leyen, said is working “at full speed to approve it and make it available in the EU”.

Good news for our efforts to bring more #COVID19 vaccines to Europeans!
@EMA_News assessed that the @moderna_tx vaccine is safe & effective.

Now we are working at full speed to approve it & make it available in the EU.

— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) January 6, 2021

The French health body the Haute Autorité de Santé will also assess the vaccine for approval. 

The Moderna vaccine is already being distributed in the US.

Read more:

French health workers remain sceptical of Covid vaccine

How France’s Covid-19 vaccine roll-out compares in Europe

Why France’s Covid-19 vaccine roll-out has started slowly