EU Drug Regulator Approves J&J Single-Dose Covid-19 Vaccine

The European Union expanded its list of approved Covid-19 vaccines to four options, but the addition of Johnson & Johnson ’s single-shot vaccine Thursday appears unlikely soon to accelerate Europe’s lagging rollout. The European Medicines Agency said that the J&J vaccine is safe and effective against Covid-19, and hours later EU authorities formally authorized its use. Distribution is set to begin in the second quarter. The EMA’s decision to recommend authorization of the J&J vaccine follows U.S. approval late last month. The J&J vaccine has the potential to significantly bolster vaccination drives over time. It can be kept in refrigerators instead of freezers, making it easier to store and distribute than some vaccines already approved, and recipients need only one dose rather than the two administered for other vaccines, often many weeks apart. Trials found J&J’s vaccine had a high impact in preventing serious illness but was 67% effective overall when moderate cases were included. Side effects were usually mild or moderate, the EMA said.