Canada’s review of Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine will be completed “soon,” says the health minister – National

Health Minister Patty Hajdu said Canada’s review of Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine candidate “should be completed soon,” as news broke Wednesday that the UK has approved the vaccine.

In a tweet on Wednesday, Hajdu said the news from the UK was “encouraging”.

“The news that the Pfizer / BioNTech vaccine has been approved in the UK is encouraging. Health Canada’s review of this candidate is ongoing and should be completed shortly, ”he said.

“Making sure a COVID-19 vaccine is safe before approving it is Health Canada’s priority, and when a vaccine is ready, Canada will be ready.”

His comments echo recent statements from Health Canada’s chief medical consultant.

Canada has “similar deadlines” to the US and Europe for approval of the vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech, Dr Supriya Sharma said last week.

Canada is reviewing Pfizer’s vaccine along with the US and Europe, meaning the vaccine is likely to gain regulatory approval in Canada at the same time the US gives the candidate emergency clearance.

The US Food and Drug Administration has a meeting on December 10 to consider whether to give the green light to that vaccine

Trend stories

• 

  5-year-old boy fatally shot after being thrown out of a car as punishment

• 

  Executives of Chinese vaccine companies worked on the program now targeted by Western intelligence agencies

[ Sign up for our Health IQ newsletter for the latest coronavirus updates ]

“Several things happen at the same time. Health Canada, from a regulatory perspective, we are doing our review. Companies that have already finished their clinical trials are working towards their production. The really tricky part of the vaccine manufacturing process is when they’re doing that scale-up, and they’re doing it now, ”Sharma said last week.

He said the best timeline he can offer is that Canada will likely see a limited launch of a vaccine in January next year, following the first possible regulatory approvals taking place this month.

He said the best timeline he can offer is that Canada will likely see a limited launch of a vaccine in January next year, after the first possible regulatory approvals taking place this month.

Two doses of the vaccine are needed to inoculate someone against the virus, and they must be given three weeks apart. Pfizer said last month that the final analysis of its clinical trials indicates the vaccine is 95 percent effective. They also said it has no serious side effects and protects the elderly.

Canada has signed an agreement to purchase at least 20 million doses from Pfizer, with the first four million expected to arrive in Canada between January and March.

The deal also gives Canada the option to purchase an additional 56 million doses of the vaccine.

Speaking Tuesday, Procurement Minister Anita Anand said Canada was the fourth country to strike a deal with Pfizer, having secured the deal soon after the US, Britain and Japan.

Canada’s population is just under 38 million, which means the deal already signed would eventually guarantee enough doses to vaccinate a quarter of the country, with the ability to buy enough to vaccinate the rest.

With files by Sean Boynton and Katie Dangerfield

View link »