Covid-19 vaccine makers lobby EU for legal protection

The European pharmaceutical industry’s vaccines lobby has pushed the EU for exemptions that would protect its members from lawsuits if there are problems with any new coronavirus vaccines, according to people with knowledge of the discussions and an internal memo seen by the Financial Times. The pandemic has compressed into months vaccine research and development that can take years. Some potential vaccines are already at the phase-three testing stage — the last step before they come to regulators for approval. At the same time, governments around the world have poured cash into research and development to try to save lives and prevent economically crippling lockdowns.