BRIEF—Australia approves BioNTech/Pfizer vaccine

The Australian medicines regulator, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), has approved BioNTech and Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine, Comirnaty (BNT162b2).

The firms said they are prepared to deliver 10 million doses to Australia over the course of 2021, allowing for five million Australians to be vaccinated.

As in other countries, the Australian government has said it will prioritize distribution of the vaccine according to population demographics, based on vulnerability to the disease.

The vaccine has now been granted a conditional marketing authorization, emergency use authorization, temporary authorization or provisional approval in a total of more than 50 countries.