This morning, several German media ( Bild and Frankfurter Allgemeine ), first; and Reuters later reported that several member states, including Germany, were pressuring the European Medicines Agency (EMA) to speed up the process and the Agency’s go-ahead would come before Christmas .
Well, the Agency has confirmed that “after the reception last night [day 14] additional data requested by the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) the company and pending the outcome of its assessment, is has scheduled a one-off CHMP meeting for December 21 to conclude if possible “approval of the vaccine . In the event that it was not, the “meeting scheduled for December 29” will be held. That is, if all goes well, the EMA could give the go-ahead early in the week.
That, however, does not constitute “approval” of the vaccine. It will be the European Commission that approves (or not) the drug for the Union. Something that, in accordance with the statements of Ursula von der Leyen , would be done as quickly as possible . And it is that, after the start of vaccinations in the United Kingdom (which, remember, despite the Brexit process they still have the same health regulations as the rest of Europe) and the FDA approval , it was not well understood (especially , between governments) that the EMA lengthen the times if it was not necessary.
