- President Trump attacked the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in a tweetje on Saturday, claiming that the agency “made it very difficult for drug companies to get people to test the vaccines and therapeutics.”
- “Obviously, they hope to delay the response until after November 3,” Trump wrote.
- The president’s tweet comes a few days after a top FDA official told Reuters they would resign if the Trump administration pushed for the release of a COVID-19 vaccine that was not safe.
- There is no evidence that the FDA is delaying treatments or vaccines for COVID-19.
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A few days after a Food and Drug Administration official said he would resign if the Trump administration released a COVID-19 vaccine that was “unsafe or ineffective,” the president took to Twitter to tell the agency to fall on their timeline for testing immunizations.
“The deep state, or whatever, at the FDA makes it very difficult for drug companies to get people to test the vaccines and therapeutics. Of course, they hope to delay the response until after November 3. Must focus on speed, and save lives !, “Trump tweeted.
The president tagged bureau commissioner Stephen Hahn in the tweet.
—Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 22, 2020
Trump has used the term “deep state” several times to suggest that employees in government agencies work against his interests or policy goals. There is no evidence that the FDA is delaying treatments or vaccines for COVID-19.
In fact, Drs. Anthony Fauci, a member of the Trump force of coronavirus, previously said that a vaccine would probably not be considered safe and effective until December 2020. Another top health official, Michael Caputo of the Department of Health and Human Services, has speculated that a fax could take until January 2021.
Members of the scientific community have expressed concern that the Trump administration, which has said it could have a vaccine available around the time of the November 3 election, would consider releasing an unproven vaccine to meet this timeline meet, according to Reuters.
When asked earlier this month on Geraldo Rivera’s radio program whether a fax could be ready for the election, Trump replied, “I think in some cases, yes, maybe earlier, but just around that time.”
“Look, I just want to save lives. I’m in a hurry. I am. I’m pushing everyone,” he said. “If you had another president, unlike me, you would not speak faxes for two years.”
Peter Marks, director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, told Reuters he “could not stand by and see something that was unsafe or ineffective.”
“You have to decide where your red line is, and that’s my red line,” he said. “I would feel obligated (to apologize) because if I did this I would be telling the American public that something is wrong,” he said.
