European Medicines Agency Delays Decision on Moderna Vaccine Approval... "Re-discussion on the 6th"

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] The European Medicines Agency (EMA) held an unscheduled emergency meeting under pressure from various European countries to discuss whether to approve Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine, but it is reported that no conclusion was reached. The EMA stated that it plans to continue the discussion at the originally scheduled approval review meeting on the 6th.

According to major foreign news agencies including AFP, on the 4th (local time), the EMA held an unscheduled emergency meeting to discuss whether to approve the COVID-19 vaccine developed by the US company Moderna, but was unable to finalize its position. Through its official Twitter account, the EMA said, "The Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) discussed the approval of the Moderna vaccine but did not reach a conclusion," adding, "The meeting will continue on the 6th."

Initially, the EMA is known to have held the emergency meeting under pressure from European Union (EU) member states to accelerate the vaccine approval process. The EMA had originally scheduled the Moderna vaccine evaluation meeting for the 12th but moved it up to the 6th, and then held the emergency meeting on the 4th due to pressure from EU member states. The European Commission defended the EMA by stating in a press release that the EMA acts as a speed bump, explaining that "complex matters such as vaccine approval come with difficulties."

Previously, the EMA approved the vaccine jointly developed by US company Pfizer and German company BioNTech on the 21st of last year, and most EU member states began vaccination simultaneously from the 27th of last month. Since then, they have taken a cautious stance regarding the approval of Moderna and AstraZeneca vaccines. The EMA had earlier indicated that approval of the AstraZeneca vaccine would be difficult by this month.

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