The Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Federal Institute for Vaccines and Biomedicines, has authorised the first clinical trial of a vaccine against COVID-19 in Germany. The authorisation of this trial is the result of a careful assessment of the potential risk/benefit profile of the vaccine candidate. Based on extensive scientific advice to the medicine developer, BioNTech, in the preliminary phase, the Paul-Ehrlich-Institut was able to complete the authorisation procedure within four days. The provision of...