Authorization of Vaccines in the European Union

The current COVID-19 pandemic has had a vertiginous accelerating effect on the time from identification of a new virus to a vaccine being deployed. A key step in this journey, the marketing authorization process, is under intense scrutiny and time pressure. The marketing authorization is a necessary gateway that protects public health and provides healthcare professionals and the general public with reliable and relevant evidence reflected in the product information to allow the safe and effective use of these vaccines. Regulators have the expertise and the duty to evaluate vaccines’ benefits and risks and, importantly, monitor safety during clinical use. This evaluation is more important than ever during a pandemic—and must be allowed to be as thorough as ever.