Trump, ahead of FDA, says Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine has been approved

U.S. President Donald Trump said in a tweet on Friday that Moderna Inc's vaccine had been approved and would ship immediately, although the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has made no public announcement yet regarding its decision. The FDA had not yet authorized emergency use of the vaccine, a Bloomberg reporter said on Twitter, citing the agency.

U.S. President Donald Trump said in a tweet on Friday that Moderna Inc's vaccine had been approved and would ship immediately, although the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has made no public announcement yet regarding its decision.

The FDA had not yet authorized emergency use of the vaccine, a Bloomberg reporter said on Twitter, citing the agency. The FDA and Moderna did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment.

"Moderna vaccine overwhelmingly approved. Distribution to start immediately," Trump said in a post on Twitter. A panel of outside FDA advisers met to discuss Moderna's vaccine on Thursday and an agency decision was expected as soon as Friday.

The panel had endorsed its use with a 20-0 vote, and one abstention, that the vaccine's benefits outweighed its risks.