Canada approves use of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine... "Safe and effective"

Health Canada has approved the use of the US pharmaceutical company Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine.

Health Canada issued a statement on the 9th of the local time and announced that it would approve the use of the vaccine for the COVID-19 vaccine jointly developed by Pfizer and Bioentech, Germany, saying "safe, effective and of good quality."

Pfizer-Bioentech's vaccine, which proved a high prevention rate of 95% in a phase 3 clinical trial, became the first vaccine to be approved by the government after a proper clinical trial with approval for emergency use in the UK on the 2nd.

The Bahrain government also approved the use of the Pfizer vaccine on the 4th.

Canada, the third approved country in the world, explained that it received Pfizer's application for approval on October 9 and went through a thorough and independent review process.

In a statement from Health Canada, "Canadians can rest assured that the review process is rigorous and a strong monitoring system is in place. We will closely monitor vaccine safety after launch and take immediate action if safety concerns are found." Said.

The first vaccination target age is 16 years of age or older, Health Canada explained.

Earlier, the Canadian government signed a contract with Pfizer to purchase a total of 20 million doses of the vaccine.

There is an option to increase the purchase volume to a total of 56 million servings, and we have decided to receive 249,000 servings first within this year.

The first vaccine supply is expected to be administered first to vulnerable groups such as residents and employees of long-term care facilities.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told a recent press conference: "According to the approval of the Canadian Ministry of Health, the first dose will be delivered next week. It has been a tough year and we have not yet gotten out of this crisis. But now the vaccine is coming." .

Health Canada is also reviewing approvals for three other vaccines, including the US pharmaceutical company Modena.

National vaccine approvals are also expected to speed up.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration will review approval for emergency use of the Pfizer-Bioentech vaccine at an advisory committee meeting on the 10th.

If the advisory committee recommends approval of the vaccine, the Food and Drug Administration is expected to approve it as soon as possible and to immunize it in the United States.