The Oxford / AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine is safe and effective enough to be used in adults over the age of 18, the European Medicines Agency said on Friday.
The European Commission is expected on Friday to stamp the EMA’s recommendation to formally approve the vaccine in the EU with a conditional marketing authorization.
A German scientific committee said on Thursday that there were not enough data to know if the jab was suitable for people aged 65 and over. The UK approved the vaccine at the end of December, with a temporary emergency use authorization for people over 18 years of age.
The British vaccine was expected to help Europe’s late vaccination campaigns, as it is much cheaper and easier to use compared to the two EU-licensed BioNTech / Pfizer and Moderna mRNA vaccines. But the company announced on January 22 that it would deliver at least 75 million fewer doses than expected in the first quarter.
The European Commission signed a contract in August to provide 300 million doses of viral vector vaccine, with the option to purchase another 100 million.
The viral virus vaccine has long been seen as top-ranked, but has been delayed due to problems with autumn clinical trials. Vaccine studies reported an overall efficacy rate of 70% – 62% when participants received two full doses and 90% when they were initially given half a dose accidentally.