Moderna Asking U.S., European Regulators to OK Its Virus Shots

According to the Associated Press , Moderna on Monday said it was asking U.S. and European regulators to permit emergency use of its COVID-19 vaccine as new study results verify the inoculations offer strong protection. Moderna collaborated with the U.S. National Institutes of Health on the shots, with results suggesting the vaccine is more than 94 percent effective. Of 196 COVID-19 cases so far in the U.S. trial, 185 participants received a placebo and 11 got the vaccine. The only people who became severely ill — 30 participants, including one who died — had placebo. Moderna said the vaccinations' efficacy and a good safety record thus far mean they fulfill Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requirements for emergency use before final-stage testing is complete. The European Medicines Agency has also indicated it is amenable to faster "conditional" clearance. If the FDA sanctions emergency use, Moderna expects to have 20 million doses ready for Americans by year's end, which should serve 10 million people.