EU regulator in contact with 38 makers of potential COVID-19 vaccines

No COVID-19 vaccine has been authorised in Europe. The World Health Organisation lists 38 candidate vaccines in clinical evaluation, including shots developed in China and Russia. Sweeney said EU procedures to authorise COVID-19 vaccines will follow established standards.

The European Medicines Agency has been in contact this month with 38 makers of potential COVID-19 vaccines, an official at the EU drugs regulator said on Tuesday.

"As of early September the EMA has been in contact with developers of 38 potential COVID-19 vaccines," Fergus Sweeney, head of clinical studies and manufacturing task force at EMA, told a hearing in the European Parliament. Vaccines must be authorised by EMA before they can be used in the European Union. No COVID-19 vaccine has been authorised in Europe.

The World Health Organisation lists 38 candidate vaccines in clinical evaluation, including shots developed in China and Russia. Another 149 candidates are in pre-clinical evaluation. Sweeney said EU procedures to authorise COVID-19 vaccines will follow established standards. He added that the EU was conducting enhanced monitoring on the safety of potential vaccines under development.