Today the European Medicines Agency (specifically, its human medicines committee or CHMP) has recommended granting a conditional marketing authorisation to the vaccine developed by BioNTech and Pfizer to prevent COVID-19 in people from 16 years of age.

In the words of the EMA press release, “EMA’s scientific opinion paves the way for the first marketing authorisation of a COVID-19 vaccine in the EU by the European Commission, with all the safeguards, controls and obligations this entails.”

The CHMP has concluded that data on the quality, safety and efficacy of the vaccine are sufficient, given the results of a trial on 44,000 people so far. The process of data collection will in any case continue for at least 2 more years.

It is still unclear who, when and how we will have access to the vaccine, but certainly a vaccine is coming our way. After a 2020 filled with lives lost, fear, confinement and social deprivation, this is absolutely great news. What a few months back seemed wildly optimistic, is now happening.

We want to end 2020 on a high note and wish you relaxing holidays and a new happy, healthy and social year!