Germany demands EU agency approve vaccine before Christmas

BERLIN (AP) — Germany on Tuesday increased the pressure on European regulators to speed up their review of a coronavirus vaccine, with its health minister, a hospital association and several lawmakers urging that the vaccine be given the stamp of approval by next week.

“Our goal is an approval before Christmas," Health Minister Jens Spahn told reporters. “We want to still start vaccinating this year.”

Spahn added that he “welcomed” German media reports that said the European Medicines Agency, or EMA, would finalize its approval process of the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine by Dec. 23, instead of at a Dec. 29 meeting.

The EMA could not immediately be reached for comment on exactly when it would release its findings on the approval process.

Italy, where Europe’s coronavirus outbreak erupted in February and which now leads the continent in the COVID-19 death count, is also pressing for a safe, accelerated approval process.

“My hope is that the EMA, in compliance with all safety procedures, will be able to approve the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine earlier than expected and that vaccinations can also begin in the countries of the European Union as soon as possible,” Italian Health Minister Roberto Speranza said in a statement.

Spahn has expressed impatience with the EMA for days, noting that Germany has created some 440 vaccination centers, activated about 10,000 doctors and medical staff and was ready to start mass vaccinations immediately.

Spahn is pushing for a quick approval of a new vaccine developed by Germany’s BioNTech and American drugmaker Pfizer that is already being used in Britain, the United States, Canada and other countries. But Germany cannot start vaccinations because it is still waiting for approval by the EMA, which evaluates drugs...