AMSTERDAM (AP) – The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is evaluating whether to authorize the booster application of Johnson & Johnson’s single-dose vaccine against COVID-19.
In a statement issued on Monday, the European Union agency that regulates the marketing of drugs in the countries of the bloc reported that it is considering J & J’s request to recommend booster doses of the vaccine from that pharmaceutical company for people 18 years of age and older, at least two months after receiving the first injection. Amid a marked increase in new coronavirus infections across Europe, the EMA indicated that it expects to reach a decision in the coming weeks.
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) gave the green light in October to the application of the J&J booster, both for people who initially received the J&J single-dose vaccine and for those who were immunized. with other vaccines.
J&J earlier presented the results of a large study that concluded that applying a second dose just two months after the first improved protection against COVID-19 symptoms in recipients in the United States from 70% to 94%. Applying that booster six months later instead of two months further improved the antibodies that fight the virus.
EU countries initially ordered around 200 million doses of the J&J vaccine, but only a fraction has been delivered as the company has faced production problems.
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