Switzerland’s medical regulator has said it cannot authorise use of the Oxford/AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine based on the available trial data in a further setback for the rollout of the Anglo-Swedish jab.
The vaccine, which is already being administered in the UK, was given authorisation for use across the EU on Friday last week, but health officials in France, Germany, Italy, Sweden and Poland have all advised against its use for older people. Switzerland, which is not a member of the EU, is the first European country to rule against approving the jab.
“For the vaccine from AstraZeneca, the data available and evaluated to date are not yet sufficient for approval,” SwissMedic said on Wednesday. “In order to obtain additional data on safety, efficacy and quality, data from new studies are required.”