The World Health Organization (WHO) is considering three vaccines for an emergency response to the coronavirus (Covid-19) epidemic. These vaccines are co-invented by Pfizer and Moderna, a pharmaceutical company in the United States, and AstraZeneca, an Oxford University drug company in the United Kingdom. A decision on the matter may come in the next few weeks.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has also called for rapid and equitable distribution of vaccines in South and Southeast Asian countries, including Bangladesh.
Meanwhile, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the emergency use of the Pfizer vaccine in the United States. BioNTech, a German biotechnology company, collaborated in the invention of the Pfizer vaccine.
According to Reuters, the World Health Organization’s chief scientific officer, Soumya Swaminathan, said last Friday that they would first consider the Pfizer vaccine. The decision of the World Health Organization will be known in a few weeks. The company will then decide on the Moderna and AstraZeneca vaccines.
If the World Health Organization approves a vaccine, it will be a significant step forward in tackling the Corona epidemic. Because, in that case, the regulatory body of the countries that have not been able to assess the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine for approval, there will be no barrier to the supply of vaccines. Soumya Swaminathan said at least 10 organizations had requested the World Health Organization to approve their vaccines on an emergency basis.
