Canada will announce within a week or so if it gives the green light for the deployment of a fourth vaccine against Covid-19, that of the American group Johnson & Johnson, said a senior official of the Ministry of Health on Thursday.
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“The review of the Johnson & Johnson application is going very well, it is progressing and we expect it to be completed and there will be a decision in the coming days. I would say within about the next seven days, ”
Supriya Sharma, the ministry's senior medical adviser, said at a press conference.
Canada has pre-ordered up to 38 million doses of Johnson & Johnson's vaccine, a number equivalent to the country's total population.
This vaccine has two important logistical advantages: it can only be administered in a single dose and can be stored at refrigerator temperatures.
Authorization for use in the United States
The three vaccines authorized to date in Canada are those of AstraZeneca, Pfizer / BioNTech and Moderna.
Johnson & Johnson's vaccine obtained emergency authorization for use in adults aged 18 and over in the United States on Saturday.
Its clinical trials have shown an efficacy of 72% against the disease in the United States, and even 85.9% against severe forms of Covid-19.
The European Medicines Agency announced for its part that it would meet on March 11 to decide on its deployment within the European Union.