A health ministry panel has delayed giving a stamp of approval to Shionogi¡¯s COVID-19 anti-viral pill, concluding that it needs more data before making a judgment on its efficacy.

The delay is a blow to one of Âé¶¹´«Ã½ largest drugmakers and also raises questions about the process for drugs to gain fast-track approvals in times of emergency.

The panel will ¡°continue to deliberate¡± before a decision on the drug¡¯s fate is made, panel chair Shigeru Ota said at the end of a two-hour meeting on Wednesday, which about 40 experts attended.