EU regulator approves Johnson & Johnson’s single-shot vaccine

The decision gives the 27-member European Union a fourth vaccine to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

The European Union’s medicines regulator has recommended conditionally approving Johnson & Johnson’s (J&J) single-dose coronavirus vaccine, a move which paves the way for the bloc to use a fourth licensed vaccine to curb the pandemic. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) said on Thursday it was recommending that the vaccine should be authorised “after a thorough evaluation” of J&J’s data found it met the criteria for efficacy, safety and quality. The United States, Canada and Bahrain have also approved the US company’s shot. South Africa is carrying out an expedited review.