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Pfizer-BioNTech apply for COVID-19 vaccine approval in US

WION Web Team
Washington, United StatesUpdated: Nov 21, 2020, 09:27 AM IST
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Photograph:(Reuters)

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This is 'a critical milestone in our journey to deliver a COVID-19 vaccine to the world,' said Pfizer chief executive Albert Bourla.

After announcing successful human trials of the coronavirus vaccine, the US biotech giant Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech have applied for immediate approval of the vaccine in the US.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has decided to meet on December 10 to decide on whether or not Pfizer vaccine can be given emergency use authorisation.

The FDA recognizes that transparency and dialogue are critical for the public to have confidence in COVID-19 vaccines," Stephen Hahn, organisation n head, said. "I want to assure the American people that the FDA's process and evaluation of the data for a potential COVID-19 vaccine will be as open and transparent as possible."

A committee will be set up to review the effectiveness of the vaccine. As of now, it is not clear how long will the review process will take. However, the committee is hoping to give a green signal to the vaccine by the end of December.

EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said the European bloc could also approve both before the end of the year.

This is "a critical milestone in our journey to deliver a COVID-19 vaccine to the world," said Pfizer chief executive Albert Bourla.

The announcement has come a day after the United States top infectious disease official, Anthony Fauci, guaranteed the accuracy of the data of the two coronavirus vaccines being tested by Pfizer and Moderna.

Meanwhile, many European countries have entered the second lockdown after a second wave of the novel coronavirus swept over the world.