Currently, the worldwide priority is to help saving lives during the COVID-19 pandemic, therefore, the availability of a drug and vaccination to treat and prevent the COVID-19 is strongly needed. The drug authorisation is a complex process based on several steps to be followed, for this reason it may take a long time.

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the Agenzia Italiana del Farmaco (AIFA) encourage all citizens not to buy medicines from not authorised online medicine retailers or from other retailers that benefit from fears and concerns related to the pandemic.

The Agenzia Italiana del Farmaco (AIFA) is currently evaluating all the available scientific evidences in order to undertake actions (including also the fast track authorisation for clinical studies), based on strong scientific data, needed to promptly ensure the best therapeutic options for COVID-19.

On 30th January 2020, the WHO announced that the COVID-19 outbreak was a Public Health Emergency of International Concern and on 11th March, WHO described the COVID-19 situation as a pandemic.  

Fondazione Gianni Benzi reports up to date and verified news. Particularly today, we focused on the actions undertaken by the dall’Agenzia Italiana del Farmaco (AIFA), in order to identify possible therapies for COVID-19.

AIFA and Gilead have announced that Italy will take part in two Phase 3 studies promoted by Gilead Sciences to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the experimental antiviral Remdesivir in adults admitted to hospital with the COVID-19 diagnosis.

EMA is taking concrete actions to accelerate the development and approval of vaccines and medicinal products for the treatment and prevention of the new Coronavirus.

The European Commission launched a request for expressions with the aim to advance knowledge for the clinical and public health response to the [COVID-19] epidemic.