Canada Authorizes and Purchases AstraZeneca's COVID-19 Vaccine

Health Canada announced on February 26, 2021, it had authorized two vaccines the COVID-19 vaccine manufactured by AstraZeneca and developed in partnership with Oxford University and the Serum Institute of India’s version of the AstraZeneca vaccine. 

After thorough, independent reviews of the evidence, the Department has determined that these vaccines meet Canada’s stringent safety, efficacy, and quality requirements said the announcement.

These are the first viral vector-based COVID-19 vaccines authorized in Canada. The vaccines are authorized for use in people over 18 years of age. They are administered as a two-dose regimen and can be kept at refrigerated temperatures (from 2˚ to 8˚C) for at least six months, facilitating distribution across the country.

Health Canada’s authorization of the Verity Pharmaceuticals Inc./Serum Institute of India product relies on the assessment of its comparability to the AstraZeneca-produced version of the vaccine.

Following Health Canada's authorization, the Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of Public Services and Procurement, announced that Canada had secured 2 million doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine through an agreement with Verity Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc./Serum Institute of India.

"We remain fully on track to ensure that there will be a sufficient supply so that every eligible Canadian who wants a vaccine will have access to one by the end of September. I am grateful for the collaboration of our partners in India to finalize this agreement, and I look forward to continuing to work closely together in the weeks ahead," stated the Honourable Anita Anand in a press release.