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The scientist behind the BioNTech / Pfizer coronavirus vaccine has defended his company from Donald Trump’s accusation that he deliberately delayed news of its rapid progress until after the election, saying “we don’t do politics.”
BioNTech, a German company, and US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer announced on Monday that their jointly developed vaccine candidate had exceeded expectations in crucial phase 3 vaccine trials, demonstrating 90% efficacy in protecting people from infections. by coronavirus.
The UK government’s joint committee on vaccination and immunization has published a list of groups of people who will be given priority to receive a Covid-19 vaccine. The list is:
1. Everyone over 80 years of age and health and social workers.
2. All those 75 years of age or older.
3. All those aged 70 or over.
4. Everyone over 65 years of age.
5. Adults under 65 years of age at high risk of serious illness and mortality from Covid-19.
6. Adults under 65 years of age at moderate risk of severe illness and mortality from Covid-19.
7. All those aged 60 and over.
8. All those 55 and over.
9. All those of 50 years or more.
10. Rest of the population
The US president criticized the timing of his press release. Trump accused companies of withholding the good news until after the US elections “because they didn’t have the courage to do it before.”
But BioNTech CEO Professor Uğur Şahin told The Guardian in an extensive interview that he was only notified of the outcome of the interim trials on Sunday at 8 p.m. on a call from Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla to who had only been informed three minutes earlier by the independent monitoring board.
“We want to develop this vaccine as quickly as possible and we have our own coordinate system,” Şahin said in response to Trump’s indictment. “Every day counts, and we desperately waited for the day of the trial results. He couldn’t get there early enough. “
“Pharmaceutical research should never be politicized. It is a question of integrity. Withholding information would have been unethical. The important thing for us is that we are developing a vaccine and we are not doing politics.
Others have criticized the two companies for not keeping your information long enough. Bourla drew attention when he sold $ 5.6 million (£ 4.2 million) worth of shares, as the company’s shares soared on Monday night.
Pfizer says the shares were sold through an automated system after they reached a certain price, according to a plan established in August.
