Japan May Approve Use Of Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine For Teenagers - Reports

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 11th June, 2021) Japan is working to approve the use of Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine for adolescents aged 12 to 17, Japanese media reported on Friday, citing Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato.

The Moderna vaccine is presently approved for use in Japan among those aged 18 and older.

The age limit will be lowered "if the efficacy and safety is confirmed and the guidelines are amended," Kato said at a press conference, as quoted by Japanese news agency Kyodo.

According to the minister, Moderna's Japanese partner Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. is already negotiating the approval with the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare.

Should the ministry go through with lowering the age limit, the Moderna vaccine will become the second after Pfizer to be available for adolescents in Japan.

Moderna has requested an emergency use approval from Canadian, EU and US drug authorities this week to start the vaccination of those aged 12-17, citing the vaccine's 100% efficacy in clinical trials on nearly 2,500 subjects.

Japan uses a total of three COVID-19 vaccines in its campaign - by Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Moderna. To date, over 21.4 million doses have been administered, and more than 5.4 million people have received two doses.