UK and Argentina Approve AstraZeneca Vaccine... US Postpones Approval to April (Summary)

UK Health Authorities "62% Immunity Effect" Granted Approval
US Health Authorities "Must Provide Specific Efficacy Figures"

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] Following the United Kingdom, Argentina and El Salvador have abruptly approved the emergency use of AstraZeneca's novel coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine. AstraZeneca's vaccine is cheaper than other companies' vaccines and is easy to distribute and administer, raising expectations that it will be a game changer in resolving the global vaccine supply shortage. However, as the U.S. government, unable to clarify safety concerns such as immunity effects varying by dosage, postponed approval by two months from the original plan and adopted a cautious stance, health authorities worldwide are facing deep concerns.

According to local British media including the BBC and major foreign news outlets, on the 30th (local time), the UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) announced the approval of AstraZeneca's vaccine for emergency use. At a press conference that day, MHRA Chief Executive June Raine stated, "The approved AstraZeneca vaccine dosage method is the standard two-dose regimen with one full dose each time, and the immunity effect is 62%," adding, "The emergency use is limited to adults aged 18 and over." The UK health authorities plan to start vaccinations from the 4th of next month.

Following the UK on the same day, health authorities in Argentina and El Salvador also approved the AstraZeneca vaccine, and Mexican health authorities announced that approval is imminent. The Indian health authorities, who have jointly conducted clinical trials with AstraZeneca since the early stages of vaccine development, are also expected to begin safety reviews soon and approve it within next month.

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

The immunity effect of the AstraZeneca vaccine approved by the UK government is 62%, significantly lower than Pfizer's (95%) and Moderna's (94.5%), but it can be stored and transported in a regular refrigerator at 2 to 8 degrees Celsius, and its price is only about one-fifth that of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, raising expectations for mass distribution even in developing countries.

However, on the same day, U.S. health authorities showed caution by announcing a delay of about two months in approval. According to the U.S. political media outlet Politico, Moncef Slaoui, the chief of the Operation Warp Speed overseeing the U.S. government's vaccine policy, said at a press conference, "AstraZeneca needs to bring clearer and more specific efficacy data through additional clinical trials," adding, "If everything goes well, the data review and emergency use authorization for the AstraZeneca vaccine will only be possible in early April." Slaoui had previously stated at a press conference on the 14th that "the AstraZeneca vaccine review would be conducted by the end of January and approval would be granted by February."

Despite the UK government's approval, the reason the U.S. government has taken a cautious stance is that safety concerns, including the immunity effect of the AstraZeneca vaccine, have not been resolved at all. Earlier, AstraZeneca announced interim results of its Phase 3 clinical trial on the 23rd of last month, stating that the immunity effect was 62% for clinical subjects who received two full doses 22 days apart, and 90% for those who received only half a dose once, sparking controversy. AstraZeneca has yet to clarify this controversy.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.