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In the “constellation” of the vaccine is the European continent and the need for governments to present good news to affected citizens causes irritation, conflict and controversy.
Attention today turned to Britain’s rapid approval of the Pfizer / Biontech coronavirus vaccine, sparking outrage and reactions in Brussels and Berlin.
The statement by British Health Secretary Matt Hancock, who attributed the speed of approval to Brexit, added fuel to the fire.
“Although until the beginning of this year we were members of the European Medicines Agency (EMA), thanks to Brexit we were able to make a decision (…) based on the British regulatory authorities (…) and not at the pace of Europeans, who are going a little further later. “We are all doing the same security checks and following the same procedures, but we have managed to speed up the process thanks to Brexit,” he said, sparking irritation and accusations of “drug nationalism.”
The British Agency for Medicines and Health Products has tried to shed light on the fact that European law allows the UK to grant a temporary authorization to a medicine if it is necessary for public health.
Similarly, Boris Johnson, after promising to make the vaccine on camera, spoke of an international effort.
The reaction came from Berlin with the Minister of Health, Jens Spann, noting that “the question is not to be the first, but to have an effective and safe vaccine.”
Span told reporters that while the UK was the first to approve the vaccine, he was optimistic that the European Medicines Agency would follow up soon. The time difference is due to the fact that Britain and the US went through an extraordinary approval process, while the EU followed a regular procedure.
“But, some comments about Brexit to my British friends: Biontech is a European achievement, of the European Union. “The fact that this European product is so good that Britain has approved it so quickly shows that in the crisis, European and international cooperation is the best,” he said. There have been indications in some quarters that the fact that Britain has its own drug approval process means that it can move faster than its European counterpart.
Along the same lines, the German ambassador in London, Andreas Michaelis, stressed: “Why is it so difficult to recognize this step forward as a wonderful international effort and success?”
Angela Merkel, however, announced today the extension of the mini-confinement in the country until January 10, mainly for restaurants.
