European Medicines Agency said on Monday that it had approved the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine, paving the way for inoculations to start across the EU within days."I am delighted to announce that the EMA scientific committee met today and recommended a conditional marketing authorisation in the EU for the vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech," EMA chief Emer Cooke told an online press conference.Following a closed-doors expert meeting today, the EU drug regulator said it was recommending the shot be licensed for use in people over 16 years of age, with some exceptions.
The pharmaceutical companies will need to submit follow-up data on their vaccine for the next year.“This is really a historic scientific achievement," said Emer.