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ZURICH (Reuters) - Switzerland will start getting doses of COVID-19 vaccine from Pfizer and partner BioNTech within days after its drugs regulator authorised use of the jabs in what officials called the world’s first approval under a standard procedure.
Pharmacy manager Larren Suh displays the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, U.S., December 16, 2020. Craig F. Walker/Pool via REUTERS
Two months after receiving the application, Swissmedic allowed the vaccine for people aged 16 and older after a rolling review of documents being submitted.
That cleared the way for an initial delivery of just over 100,000 doses, which the army will put into deep-freeze storage and send to cantons to start inoculations of vulnerable people, including the elderly and those with medical conditions.
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Vaccinations to start within days - health minister No shortcuts taken on road to approval - agency (Adds Swissmedic comment, health agency, background)
By Michael Shields
ZURICH, Dec 19 (Reuters) - Swiss drugs regulator Swissmedic has authorised the COVID-19 vaccine from Pfizer and partner BioNTech, the agency said on Saturday, calling it the world s first such approval under a standard procedure.
Two months after receiving the application, Swissmedic granted authorisation for the vaccine for people aged 16 and older after a rolling review of documents being submitted.
Other countries have already approved it for emergency use to help curb the global coronavirus pandemic.
Published Saturday, December 19, 2020 7:41AM EST ZURICH, Dec 19 (Reuters) - Swiss drugs regulator Swissmedic has authorized the COVID-19 vaccine from Pfizer and partner BioNTech, the agency said on Saturday, calling it the world s first such approval under a standard procedure. Two months after receiving the application, Swissmedic granted authorisation for the vaccine in a rolling review of documents being submitted. Other countries have already approved it for emergency use to help curb the global coronavirus pandemic. The data available to date showed a comparable high level of efficacy in all investigated age groups, thus meeting the safety requirements, Swissmedic said on its website.
Switzerland calls Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine safe, authorises for use
Pfizer-BioNTechvaccine
Pfizer/BioNTech is the first vaccine to have been approved in the country
With a population of 8.6 million, has secured around 15.8 million Covid-19 vaccine doses, in deals with three manufacturers
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The Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine has been authorised for use by the Swiss drugs regulator Swissmedic after a two-month rolling review of documents, the health agency said on Saturday. After a meticulous review of the available information, Swissmedic concluded that the Covid-19 vaccine from Pfizer/BioNTech is safe and that its benefit outweighs the risks, said Swissmedic.