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WHO grants emergency use of J&J vaccine to assist in global vaccine efforts

U.N. said ‘ample data from large clinical trials’ shows the vaccine is effective in adult populations
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Health-care worker Jenne Saunders prepares a dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz)

The World Health Organization granted an emergency use listing for the coronavirus vaccine made by Johnson & Johnson, meaning the one-dose shot can be used as part of the international COVAX effort to distribute vaccines globally, including to developing countries with no supplies.

In a statement on Friday, the U.N. health agency said “the ample data from large clinical trials” shows the J&J vaccine is effective in adult populations. The emergency use listing comes a day after the European Medicines Agency recommended the shot be given the green light across the 27-country European Union. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted the J&J vaccine an emergency authorization last month.

A massive study that spanned three continents found the J&J vaccine was 85 per cent effective in protecting against severe illness, hospitalization and death. That protection remained strong even in countries such as South Africa with variants.

The U.N.-backed COVAX effort previously announced it had an initial agreement with J&J to provide 500 million doses, but it’s not legally binding.