Moderna's COVID-19 Vaccine Becomes 2nd To Earn FDA Authorization

Dec 21, 20200

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Federal regulators have granted an emergency use authorization to the vaccine developed by Moderna, whose Cambridge, Mass., headquarters are seen here. Elise Amendola/AP

Health care workers across the U.S. are getting a new arrow in their quiver.

On Friday, just one week after Pfizer and BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine received a federal green light, the Food and Drug Administration formally authorized a second vaccine for emergency use - this one developed by Moderna. The biotech upstart won authorization for use in adults following extensive federal analysis of the vaccine, which the FDA found to be 94% effective at preventing the disease.

"With the availability of two vaccines now for the prevention of COVID-19, the FDA has taken another crucial step in the fight against this global pandemic that is causing vast numbers of hospitalizations and deaths in the United States each day," said a statement by FDA Commissioner Dr. Stephen M. Hahn.

https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/12/18/947948227/modernas-covid-19-vaccine-becomes-2nd-to-earn-fda-authorization?utm_source=npr_newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=20201218&utm_term=5041984&utm_campaign=breaking-news&utm_id=48780983&orgid=309