The country separately announced it had ordered millions
more COVID-19 vaccine doses from other manufacturers.
Switzerland, which has already ordered 5.3 million doses
from AstraZeneca, said it was waiting on results from trials of the shot in
North and South America involving tens of thousands of people after earlier
trials did not produce clear data including on efficacy in older people.
"As soon as the results have been received, a temporary
authorisation according to the rolling procedure could be issued at very short
notice," Swissmedic said in a statement, adding it was necessary to get
additional data about safety, efficacy and quality.
"The data currently available do not point to a
positive decision regarding benefits and risks," it said.
AstraZeneca reiterated that its vaccine was being reviewed
on a rolling basis by Swissmedic, to speed up the approval process, and that it
would share information with the regulator as quickly as it became available.
"We are confident that our vaccine is effective,
well-tolerated and can have a real impact on the pandemic," the company
said.
AstraZeneca and its partner, Oxford University, have
defended their vaccine, saying it had 76 per cent efficacy against symptomatic
infection for three months after a single dose, which increased if the second
shot is delayed.
However, some European countries are restricting it to
certain age groups, citing a lack of data in particular in older people.
The Swiss government said it had signed a deal with
Germany's Curevac and the Swedish government for the delivery of 5 million
vaccine doses, a preliminary pact with US vaccine maker Novavax for 6 million
doses and secured a further 6 million doses from Moderna.
These new orders bring total Swiss vaccine orders to more
than 30 million doses, enough to vaccinate its 8.6 million population about
twice over under a two-dose regimen.
Further talks with additional developers are under way for
even more shots, the government said.
"The idea behind procuring vaccines from different
manufacturers is to make sure that sufficient doses of an approved vaccine are
available to the public even if there are delivery problems," the Federal
Health Ministry said.