Medsafe is meeting to consider whether to approve the single-dose Janssen Covid-19 vaccine for use in New Zealand.
Phials of Johnson & Johnson Janssen Covid-19 vaccines at a distribution centre in the Netherlands. Photo: AFP
If it is given the nod, up to 2 million doses will be available from July.
Janssen applied for approval in December.
Medsafe has been looking at granting provisional consent.
This requires the company to meet certain conditions, including supplying more data from clinical trials around the world as they progress, and would happen at the same time as the vaccine is rolled out.
Medsafe was meeting on Tuesday and the decision would be released on Thursday.
The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), which approves the import, development and field testing or release of substances containing a new organisms, is working with Medsafe and the Ministry for Primary Industries in preparation for the vaccines.
Johnson & Johnson began delivering its vaccine to EU countries on Monday after some delays due to production issues, European Union officials and the company said.