FDA approval of Covid shots and treatments will not slow down with the end of the public health emergency
Vials and a medical syringe in front of the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) logo. The FDA finds the COVID-19 vaccine.
Pavlo Gonchar | flare | Getty Images
The Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday its emergency use approvals for Covid vaccines, tests and treatments will not be affected by the end of the public health emergency this spring.
President Joe Biden plans to end the public health and national emergencies declared three years ago in response to the Covid pandemic in May, the White House said Monday. The public health emergency gave US health officials increased powers to respond more quickly to the pandemic.
However, the FDA’s emergency powers are not directly tied to the public health statement, according to the agency.
Former Health Secretary Alex Azar made separate determinations under the Food, Drugs and Cosmetics Act in February and March 2020 that the circumstances of the pandemic warranted the approval of emergency vaccines, treatments and tests.
The FDA used its emergency powers to authorize this Pfizer, Modern, Johnson&Johnson And Novavax vaccinations. The agency also approved oral antivirals Paxlovid and molnupiravir, several antibody treatments, and numerous tests and other medical devices on an emergency basis.
“Existing Emergency Use Authorizations (EUAs) for devices remain in effect, and the agency may continue to issue new EUAs in the future if the criteria for issuance are met,” the FDA wrote in a post on Twitter Monday.
Emergency approvals allow the FDA to bring medical products to market before they receive full agency approval. This allows the agency to respond more quickly to public health crises.
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