4 Sep

US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer says it plans to seek approval for a vaccine for COVID-19 as soon as next month. But that would only be after the firm concludes the vaccine is effective.

Pfizer has been developing the vaccine with a German partner. Late-stage trials are now underway in the US, Brazil and elsewhere.

Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla says that if the results are positive, the company will immediately seek approval from the US Food and Drug Administration, as well as other regulators around the globe.

He rejected any suggestion that the company is under political pressure to rush out a vaccine ahead of the US presidential election in November.

He says Pfizer will never seek authorization or approval of a vaccine before the company believes it to be safe and effective.

Dr. Anthony Fauci of the National Institute of Health told US media that it's difficult to imagine a supply of vaccines being available next month, but it's not out of the question.

NHK