The World Health Organization has given the Oxford / AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine an emergency use list, paving the way for its wider global launch, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced on Monday.
The WHO listing will apply to the share of vaccine that will be distributed mainly to low- and middle-income countries. Manufacturers will be Serum Institute in India and AstraZeneca-SKBio in Korea.
This is only the second time that the WHO has listed emergency uses, the first being for the December 31st BioNTech / Pfizer film.
The listing will mean that countries receiving COVAX – the global mechanism for delivering the coronavirus vaccine – will be able to use the WHO recommendation for their own national approval process and start receiving doses. More generally, WHO emergency use lists are useful for countries that decide whether to approve a vaccine. The first COVAX vaccines are due to be distributed later this month.
“Countries without access to vaccines so far will finally be able to start vaccinating their medical staff and at-risk populations, contributing to the goal of the COVAX facility for the equitable distribution of vaccines,” said Mariângela Simão, Assistant Director-General. of the WHO for access to medicines and health products, at a press briefing.
There is no need for countries to rush to conclude bilateral agreements, as these agreements would stimulate competition for goods and price increases, she added.
The announcement follows a recommendation by the WHO Strategic Advisory Group on Immunization Experts on 10 February for the Oxford / Astrazeneca Jab for all adults, regardless of age. SAGE also supported the vaccine in places where coronavirus variants circulate.
The WHO has repeatedly called on drug manufacturers to transmit data in a more timely manner so that they can speed up emergency use lists.