EU regulator recommends using J&J’s one-shot vaccine

AMSTERDAM (AP) — The European Medicines Agency has recommended that Johnson & Johnson’s one-dose coronavirus vaccine be cleared, giving the European Union’s 27 nations a fourth vaccine to try to curb the pandemic amid the bloc’s much-criticized vaccination rollout. In a decision issued Thursday, the EU medicines regulator said the vaccine could be used in adults over 18 “after a thorough evaluation” of J&J’s data found it met the criteria for efficacy, safety and quality. The head of the agency says “with this latest positive opinion, authorities across the European Union will have another option to combat the pandemic and protect the lives and health of their citizens.” The EMA said the J&J vaccine was about 67% effective.