A new study by the WHO Regional Office for Europe and European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) published in Eurosurveillance estimates that 470,000 lives have been saved among those aged 60 years and over since the start of COVID-19 vaccination roll-out in 33 countries across the WHO European Region. This estimate does not […]
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New future-proof EU pharmaceutical policy
Affordable medicines, preventing shortages and a climate-neutral industry – Parliament presses for a new EU pharmaceutical policy. During the plenary session in November 2021, the European Parlimanet set out a series of recommendations for the update of the EU’s pharmaceutical legislation. Faster access In 2019, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) authorised 103 orphan drugs – which are […]
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Europe recommends Covid-19 vaccination for children 5 to 11 years of age
The EMA’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) has given the green light on Thursday to EU countries to vaccinate children between 5 and 11 years of age against Covid, considering that the benefits outweigh the risks, especially in children with health problems that increase the risk of serious disease. The Comirnaty vaccine, […]
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EMA evaluating data on booster dose of COVID-19 Vaccine Janssen
EMA has started evaluating an application for the use of a booster dose of COVID-19 Vaccine Janssen to be given at least two months after the first dose to people aged 18 years and older. EMA’s human medicines committee (CHMP) will carry out an accelerated assessment of data submitted by the company that markets the vaccine. These […]
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European Medicines Agency (EMA) gives go-ahead for use of anticovid tablet
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) gives the green light to the use of the anticovid pill that halves the risk of death and hospitalisation. The EMA’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) has endorsed the use of Merk and Ridgeback’s ‘Lagevrio’ (molnupiravir) to treat Covid-19. With this approval, Merk takes the lead in the […]
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EMA clears Pfizer’s third dose for the general adult population
EMA recommendations on extra doses and boosters EMA’s human medicines committee (CHMP) has concluded that an extra dose of the COVID-19 vaccines Comirnaty (BioNTech/Pfizer) and Spikevax (Moderna) may be given to people with severely weakened immune systems, at least 28 days after their second dose. The recommendation comes after studies showed that an extra dose of these vaccines increased […]
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Use of antibiotics in animals is decreasing
Use of antibiotics has decreased and is now lower in food-producing animals than in humans, says the latest report published by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). Taking a One Health approach, the report from the three EU agencies presents data on […]
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AstraZeneca’s vaccine: benefits and risks
Vaxzevria (formerly COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca) is authorised in the EU to prevent COVID-19, which can cause severe disease and death. The disease can also have long-term consequences in people of all ages, including in otherwise healthy people. The benefits of Vaxzevria outweigh its risks in adults of all age groups; however, very rare cases of […]
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Vaccine Janssen: assessment of very rare cases of unusual blood clots with low platelets continues
EMA’s safety committee (PRAC) is reviewing very rare cases of unusual blood clots that occurred in the United States following the use of Janssen’s COVID-19 vaccine. The type of blood clot reported, cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST), occurred in most cases in combination with low levels of blood platelets (thrombocytopenia). The US FDA and CDC […]
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