European Medicines Agency shortens approval procedures to a maximum/ The EU must speak "the language of power" in distribution

"We need maximum European cooperation to make a vaccine and/or drug against Covid-19 available as soon as possible." This said MEP Peter Liese, EPP spokesperson for health. "Europe plays a key role both in research and development and in approval and production. All vaccines have to be tested seriously before they are approved for Europe by the European Medicines Agency. That is why it is extremely important that the European Medicines Agency advises companies and shortens the approval procedures to a maximum. However, this must not be at the expense of safety. All vaccines authorised in Europe are safe and this must also apply to a vaccine against corona. An attitude such as that of Donald Trump, who suggested injecting people with disinfectants if in doubt, would be dangerous. That is why I very much welcome the European Medicines Agency's approach: to act quickly but thoroughly. Once a medicine or a vaccine is available, Europe, to use Ursula von der Leyens words, must also speak the language of power.

In the interests of Europe, but also in the interests of the rest of the world. Many experts believe that if a drug or vaccine is first developed in the USA or China, they will not be willing to share their knowledge and give other countries and regions the opportunity to produce the drug or vaccine. We must not accept that under any circumstances. I welcome the big donor conference that will take place next week with the participation of the EU Commission, but the crucial thing is that we also have a plan for when American companies are faster than the rest of the world and Trump then says "America first". The distribution of a vaccine or medicine must be based on medical criteria, and we have to supply everyone around the world as quickly as possible. This requires international cooperation, not concentration on a single country," Liese concludes.