ASTRAZENECA FALLS BEHIND PFIZER IN RACE TO GET VACCINE ON PHARMACY SHELVES

THE AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine’s Australian rollout planned for March has been jeopardised by a delay in delivering essential data to the federal government.

The company has fallen behind the registration timeline of the rival Pfizer jab, which could be approved this month.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration does not expect to grant AstraZeneca a provisional registration until February.

But the TGA anticipates Pfizer will move to the next stage by the end of this month.

Pfizer has got its nose in front despite AstraZeneca getting through the initial provisional determination step five days earlier, in October.

Paperwork appears to be the impediment.

“The TGA is expecting further data from AstraZeneca in regard to their COVID-19 vaccine in late January 2021,” an administration spokeswoman said.

“Australia is on track to have the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine provisionally registered by the end of January 2021, subject to regulatory requirements being met.”

An AstraZeneca spokeswoman said it did not determine timings.

“AstraZeneca is continuing to provide data to the TGA for them to consider,” she said.

Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly said “the approvals will happen when all the information we need to make those approvals is available”.

“That will be fast-tracked as much as possible but no shortcuts will be made,” he said.

“The safety check has to be there before anyone gets this vaccine in Australia.

“There’ll be no delays to the rollout of coronavirus vaccine – other than those which are absolutely necessary for safety.”

The federal government expects final approvals and vaccine rollouts by the end of March.

Israel has already inoculated 12.5 per cent of its population. However, compared to Australia, it is struggling to contain COVID.

NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant said “it is important we go through those regulatory steps to ensure the public in Australia has confidence that the vaccine that is being rolled out is safe and effective”.

Dr Chant on Monday revealed the state had recorded its first 24-hour period of no locally acquired COVID cases since December 15, although two positives were detected after the daily cut-off.