UK defends vaccine decision amid criticism it moved too fasthttps://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/fauci-apologizes-suggesting-uk-rushed-vaccine-decision-74534356LONDON -- U.K. regulators went on the offensive Friday to beat back criticism that they rushed their authorization of a COVID-19 vaccine, saying they rigorously analyzed data on safety and effectiveness in the shortest time possible without compromising the thoroughness of their review.
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The MHRA reiterated earlier statements that the agency is conducting rolling reviews of COVID-19 vaccine candidates, allowing regulators to speed up the review process by looking at data as it becomes available. The agency gave emergency approval on Wednesday to a vaccine produced by U.S. drugmaker Pfizer and Germany-based BioNTech, making Britain the first Western country to authorize a vaccine against the coronavirus.
The ability to act more quickly “does not mean steps and the expected standards of safety, quality and effectiveness have been bypassed,†the MHRA said. “No vaccine would be authorized for supply in the U.K. unless the expected standards of safety, quality and efficacy are met.â€
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Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, had told U.S. media outlets that U.K. regulators hadn’t acted “as carefully†as the Food and Drug Administration. He later clarified to the BBC that he had meant to say that U.S. authorities do things differently than their British counterparts, not better, but didn't phrase his comments properly.
Moron ... referring to Fauci. The bottom line is that the Brits evaluate data as it becomes available, while the FDA sat on its ass until Pfizer had all data submitted in one bloc. In practical terms, UK regulators approved the Pfizer vaccine when their review was complete, while the FDA's review won't be complete until December 10th, if then. The FDA's reputation for foot-dragging is well earned, the FDA "moves" at
Full Bureaucrat "Speed".
