- The meeting was held at the request of the US pharmaceutical company Janssen and they have explained to them the process being carried out to authorise their vaccine in Europe. The Basque Government has stressed that this first meeting has served to enable "the Department of Health and Janssen to work together" in this area.
The Basque Government Health Advisor, Gotzone Sagardui, and the director of the pharmaceutical company Janssen in Spain and Portugal, Luis Díaz Rubio, met at the meeting. Also the Vice Minister of Health, José Luis Quintas, and the Director of Pharmacy, Iñaki Betolaza, and by Janssen, the Director of Development and Governance, David Beas, the Director of Institutional Relations, Ramón Frexes, and the Director of the Area of Institutional Relations, Lander Sáez.
According to the information provided by the Basque Government, "in addition to updating information on the state of vaccine authorization in Europe, other issues related to research, the development of new products or meeting forums for the Department of Health and Janssen to collaborate" have been addressed.
66% effective vaccine pending authorisation
On February 19, the pharmacist Janssen presented to the WHO the request to include her single-dose vaccine in the list. Among the data presented, were the probitional results of the third phase clinical trial, which would represent a 66% efficiency against COVID-19. This rapid procedure allows governments to assess the use of new or unlicensed drugs during emergencies, accelerating the time of purchase of these products.
The European Medicines Agency is expected to recommend the use of this vaccine on 11 March.
Simple janssen: more side effects in young people than in old ones
According to the Food and Drug Organization (FDA) consultants' report, participants in trials aged 18-59 years had more side effects than those over 60 years. According to the medical report, 44.4% of people between 18 and 59 years of age suffered headache and 30.4% of those over 60 years of age. And another of the most remarkable side effects that fatigue has caused is: 43.8% of people between 18 and 59 years old and 29.7% of people over 60 years old. Muscle pain was 39.1% in patients 18-59 years of age and 24% in patients over 60 years of age. Other side effects are vomiting and fever, as well as inflammation and erythema in the affected area.
Analgesics for side effects were administered by 26.4% of 18-59 years and 9.8% of those over 60 years of age.