The anti-cancer vaccines are expected to be used in Cyprus as well, when they are approved by the European drug regulatory authorities, Director of the Pharmaceutical Services at Health Ministry Elena Panayiotopoulou, told the Cyprus News Agency. She said that “it is only a matter of time to be approved and licensed”.

Panayiotopoulou spoke to the Cyprus News Agency following reports that large pharmaceutical companies will have vaccines against cancer ready within the next five years.

She noted that vaccines might be approved even earlier, adding that as soon as they receive approval from Europe, the Pharmaceutical Services in Cyprus will approve them immediately, so that they can be used.

Moderna and Pfizer announced that their innovative vaccines against cancer, will be ready for use in a few years. These are vaccines based on the mRNA technology that was used to produce the coronavirus vaccines.

According to Panayiotopoulou, the studies concerning the specific shots are “very promising”, since the researchers say that experience was gained with the pandemic through mRNA technology, which is currently able to assist with vaccines in the fight against cancer.

She explained that Cyprus’ Pharmaceutical Services participates in all Committees at European and international level and is aware of all the latest news.

She went on to say that at the moment all the data regarding the specific vaccines are being evaluated and when assessment and approval is given, a positive opinion is expected from the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use of Europe, in which Cyprus participates.

Subsequently, Panayiotopoulou said, Europe’s drug regulatory authorities will give approval for the selling of these shots and when the green light is given, the Pharmaceutical Services will approve them immediately.

She said that at the moment the clinical trials are in phase 3, that is, the effectiveness, safety and quality of these vaccines are being evaluated.

Replying to a question she said that the specific vaccines will aim various types of cancer, such as lung or breast cancer and various types of tumors. She said that this technology may also be used for other diseases, such as neurological diseases. Panayiotopoulou clarified that these anti-cancer vaccines will not be given preventively, but only to patients who have already been diagnosed.

She said that these are targeted treatments with new technologies and not chemotherapy, which destroys cancer, but also healthy tissues. Head of Pharmaceutical Services also said, replying to a question, that chemotherapy treatment “will be limited little by little”.