ADVISORY PANEL ON ASTRAZENECA VACCINES

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The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety’s advisory panel says that AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine can be used, but on some conditions. Regarding doubts over the vaccine’s efficacy among older people, the panel concluded that it can be administered to all adults, including seniors aged 65 and older.

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​Despite the European Union’s official approval for the use of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine on all age groups, disputes remain unresolved, since seniors aged over 65 accounted for only some seven percent of those participating in clinical tests. But a domestic panel of eight outside experts told the food and drug safety ministry that the AstraZeneca vaccine can be approved with some conditions. A majority of the panel agreed that the vaccine can be administered to all people aged 18 or over. They said there is no reason to exclude seniors from vaccinations, as older people in the test groups showed similar immune reactions to those of other adults, without serious adverse effects. But there was also a minority opinion recommending more cautious approval of the AstraZeneca vaccine. They said it would be better to verify more clinical test results before approval, noting insufficient data regarding the vaccine’s preventive effects among seniors and a lower antibody production rate in those older than 65. The panel said although the AstraZeneca vaccine is safe enough to get approved, it is necessary to keep monitoring the adverse reactions it caused on the nervous system during the clinical trials. It recommended the vaccine to be administered in two full doses with an interval of four to 12 weeks.

[Soundbite] Kim Sang-bong(The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety) : "We will make a final decision after reviewing from multiple angles the discussed opinions, interpretations of data and reasoning grounds."

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety will review the quality of the AstraZeneca vaccine and disclose advisory consultation results in a meeting of its central pharmaceutical committee, to be held on Thursday.