A Food and Drug Administration advisory panel voted on Thursday to endorse Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine, the second such vaccine, following the approval last week of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.
The FDA is expected to take the panel's recommendation and approve the vaccine.
The vote was 20-0. One panel member abstained.
Members of the committee voted on the following question, following a day of discussing the pros and cons of the vaccine: "Based on the totality of scientific evidence available, do the benefits of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine outweigh its risks for use in individuals 18 years of age and older?"
This vote clears the way for FDA leaders to authorize emergency mass distribution.
Moderna's study found that it provided 94% protection against COVID-19 in a study of 30,000 people.
While the FDA found no severe allergic reactions in Moderna's study -- a pair of Alaska healthcare workers had severe reactions to the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine this week -- the agency found a slightly higher rate of less serious side effects, such as rashes, hives and itching.
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