With the United Kingdom leaving the European Union, the United Kingdom no longer has the same drug approval process as the European Union. This study therefore compares the approval processes of...Show moreWith the United Kingdom leaving the European Union, the United Kingdom no longer has the same drug approval process as the European Union. This study therefore compares the approval processes of the United Kingdom and the Netherlands by examining which country was quicker to approve the COVID-19 vaccines. Three possible explanations will be used to examine which aspect of the procedure could explain any differences. The explanations are about coordination, multi-level governance and the rigor of the approval process. The analysis shows that the United Kingdom was quicker to approve the first two COVID-19 vaccines and the Netherlands was quicker to approve the other two COVID-19 vaccines. Thus, no country can be classified as quicker. Of the possible explanations, only the coordination explanation possibly played a role in the speed of the approval process.Show less
