FDA Finds COVID-19 Vaccine Highly Effective

The Wall Street Journal reports that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced this week that Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine was "highly effective," setting the stage for an emergency authorization later this week. The agency posted online documents, prepared by its staff and by Moderna, evaluating the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine in a large clinical trial. The findings will be presented to an independent advisory panel that will vote Thursday on whether to recommend authorization. If all goes as expected, the FDA will authorize emergency use of the vaccine Friday. Analysis suggests the first dose of the vaccine can reduce asymptomatic infections. Confirmation via further analysis could mean that it not only protects individuals from disease, but also curtails person-to-person transmission of the virus.