When was the first mRNA vaccine authorized for widespread human use?

The first mRNA vaccines for widespread use were authorized in December 2020 in several countries, beginning with emergency use authorizations. The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and the Moderna vaccine used messenger RNA to teach cells to make a harmless viral protein and trigger immunity. This was the first time mRNA vaccine technology was deployed on a global scale. Their success quickly changed the future of vaccine development.