A health ministry panel has delayed giving a stamp of approval to Shionogi＊s COVID-19 anti-viral pill, concluding that it needs more data before making a judgment on its efficacy.
The delay is a blow to one of Japan＊s largest drugmakers and also raises questions about the process for drugs to gain fast-track approvals in times of emergency.
The panel will ※continue to deliberate§ before a decision on the drug＊s fate is made, panel chair Shigeru Ota said at the end of a two-hour meeting on Wednesday, which about 40 experts attended.
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