EU approves AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine

INA – Sources

The European Union has given the green light to the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, despite Germany's qualms about its effectiveness in seniors. The European Medicines Agency recommended the product for all adults.

The Amsterdam-based European Medicines Agency (EMA) on Friday recommended the COVID-19 vaccine produced by British-Swedish firm AstraZeneca for conditional market authorization.

Acting on the EMA's recommendation, the European Commission then gave the vaccine its final approval for use in the 27-member bloc.

Clinical trials showed that the vaccine "was safe and effective at preventing COVID-19 in people from 18 years of age," EMA said.

The EU body also noted doubts about the product's effectiveness among more mature patients. However, EMA experts predicted that "the vaccine can be used in older adults," would be safe to administer and would provide some protection to people over 55.

"There are not yet enough results in older participants to provide a figure for how well the vaccine will work in this group. However, protection is expected, given that an immune response is seen in this age group and based on experience with other vaccines," the experts said in a statement.

The pharma giant welcomed EMA's decision.