Advisory panel to FDA endorses Moderna COVID vaccine for emergency usage, setting up final approval

An group of independent experts advising the U.S. Food and Drug Administration endorsed the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for emergency usage on Thursday, which is expected to swiftly lead to final agency approval potentially as soon as later on Thursday or sometime Friday. 

Individuals on the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee voted 20-0 in support of the agency authorizing use of the treatment, with one person abstaining. It is anticipated that the FDA will quickly issue an emergency use authorization for the vaccine.

The FDA last week approved the first coronavirus vaccine in the U.S. for emergency use. Americans started receiving shots of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine Monday.