India has rolled out draft guidelines for development of vaccines with special focus on COVID-19 vaccines, drawing from those of other regulatory bodies and the WHO. Experts suggest the primary efficacy endpoint of minimum 50% is acceptable given that vaccines against respiratory diseases are difficult to develop though not necessarily enough to snuff out a pandemic.

Trial diversity is among the issues that stakeholders worry could hinder vaccine uptake.

Neither has announced a firm timeline, and the difference between Pfizer's 'October' and Moderna's 'November' could be mere hours or a few weeks, but Pfizer, by dint of luck or experience, is now in a position to offer the more optimistic projection on when it will seek an EUA. Both firms release their Phase III trial protocols, which seem in line with US FDA guidance.