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The White House has given the head of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) a few hours to approve the Pfizer / BioNTech coronavirus vaccine.
White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows urged FDA chief Steven Hahn to approve the vaccine by the end of the day (Friday), otherwise he would resign, according to an official quoted by Reuters.
The same official noted that Meadows’ comment on the resignation “is not a red line,” but was intended to urge the FDA to “act quickly and get the job done by stopping the delays.”
However, until midnight (Greek time) there was no announcement from the FDA.
It was preceded by a post by US President Donald Trump, who called the FDA a “slow turtle,” asking the organization’s director “to stop playing games and start saving lives.”
While pushing the money soaked but very bureaucratic @US_FDA Saved five years into the approval of NUMEROUS great new vaccines, it’s still a big, old, slow turtle. Get the prey shots NOW, Dr. Hahn @SteveFDA. Stop playing and start saving lives !!!
– Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 11, 2020
Previously, Health Minister Alex Azar said Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine is expected to be approved in the coming days, with the first Americans vaccinated even on Monday or Tuesday.
He even said that the United States Federal Drug Administration (FDA) has informed the manufacturer that it plans to proceed with the approval.
It is noted that the FDA’s independent advisory board voted overwhelmingly in favor of approving the urgent use of the Pfizer vaccine.
With information from Reuters
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