The EMA on Thursday said it was recommending the vaccine for all adults over the age of 18 “after a thorough evaluation” of J&J’s data found the vaccine met the criteria for efficacy, safety and quality.
“With this latest positive opinion, authorities across the European Union will have another option to combat the pandemic and protect the lives and health of their citizens,” said Emer Cooke, EMA’s executive director.
Quicker and easier to administer than the BioNTech-Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca doses already in circulation, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration 12 days ago.
The vaccine was developed by Janssen, a subsidiary of the US pharmaceutical giant, and has a 66 percent efficacy rate. It does not require freezing, and is effective for all age groups.
Approval is not expected to speed up the EU’s vaccine drive because delivery of the first doses are not due until April.
European officials are under pressure to step up vaccination drives that have lagged behind those of other countries, including the US, Britain and Israel.
The EU has signed advanced purchase agreements with Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca, CureVac, Johnson & Johnson, and Sanofi/GlaxoSmithKline for some 2.3 billion vaccine doses.
Last week EU commissioner in charge of internal markets, Thierry Breton, said the bloc would be able to vaccinate all European citizens "by the end of summer".
