Pfizer / BioNTech’s corona vaccine is now also approved for use in Switzerland. The Swiss medicine authority Swissmedic announced on Saturday that the vaccine meets all requirements.
It is safe and effective, say Swiss experts.
Swissmedic emphasizes that unlike other countries, it has not followed an emergency procedure. The assessment was carried out via the “normal procedure”, which was completed very quickly.
Just like the European Medicines Agency (EMA), which will pass a final judgment on the vaccine in question on Monday, Swissmedic has already started assessing the first two research phases while the crucial third phase was still underway. In phase three of vaccine development, subjects are vaccinated en masse.
At the beginning of this month, the Swiss had stated that due care is more important than speed. Again, the medical authority stresses that patient safety is “essential” for a positive assessment.
The approval applies to people over 16 years of age. Not enough is known about the effect on children. The makers of the vaccine are still researching this.
The vaccine that the American Pfizer and the German BioNTech have developed together has already been approved in several countries, including the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada. A particular emergency procedure was followed in those countries.