Japan will establish a system to allow vaccines and drugs to be granted approval in emergency situations once their safety has been verified, making the screening process shorter than under the existing fast-track system, government sources have said.

The plan, to be finalized by the end of the year, comes amid criticism that Japan lagged other countries in approving drugs and vaccines to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. Currently, drugs are required to pass both safety and efficacy tests before they can be approved.

Under the proposed new system, if the efficacy of a drug approved for emergency use cannot be confirmed within a set time limit, its approval will be revoked, the sources said Wednesday.