Two days ago (2nd), Britain became the first Western country to approve the use of Pfizer vaccine. Subsequently, several cabinet officials began to “explode” with confidence, making statements such as “UK guides all mankind to fight the epidemic” and “The first vaccines are because we are better than the United States”. It is worth mentioning that the United Kingdom rushed to approve the coronavirus vaccine developed by Pfizer and German BioNTech, which is not a local research and development product.
Britain’s “second approval” of the vaccine was not only retorted by many European Union countries, but also questioned that the British drug administration had not acted cautiously to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which caused controversy. He appeared on the BBC that night. Apologize and change your name: “great faith” in the relevant departments in your country.
Around this vaccine, Britain and the United States rose from a “speed race” to a “system dispute”. British experts criticized this “vaccine nationalism” as undesirable.
On the evening of the 3rd local time, Fauci clarified in an interview with the BBC, “I believe there is some misunderstanding in it. I want to apologize for this. I’m sorry. I have strong confidence in the scientific team and regulatory authorities in the UK.
Fauci also said, “What I wanted to express at that time was that in the United States, there was a large force questioning the credibility, safety and efficacy of vaccines.”
“If we were in the United States as fast as the United Kingdom (approved Pfizer vaccines) – I have no opinion about the British approach – for example, if we also approved the vaccine yesterday or tomorrow, we would certainly encounter strong opposition. I think in American society, there is too much about the whole process of the vaccine. Strong skepticism. Fauci said frankly.
Earlier that day, Fauci told CBS that the United Kingdom was too hasty to approve the vaccine.
“They [UK] are like circling around the corner before the last mile of the marathon and suddenly joining in,” Fauci told CBS’s chief Washington reporter. “They approved it too quickly.”
Fauci then questioned the UK’s drug administration, which did not “review data and do clinically as carefully as the FDA did”.
“The FDA of the United States is the model of drug regulation,” Fauci said. “The United Kingdom did not do it seriously, so it only took a few days to lead.”
“If we are too hasty and untimely strive for a week and a half, I think it will undermine the credibility and regulatory procedures of the FDA.
Later, Fauci also questioned why British scientists judge vaccine efficacy by looking only at Pfizer/BioNTech’s “paper data” without spending time independently examining vaccine efficacy, mentioning that “the UK has also been criticized by officials from the European Union.”
As Fauci said, after the UK rushed to approve the vaccine, the European Union Drug Administration (EMA) issued a rare and firm statement saying that the UK put speed before winning public trust so that it could be the first to approve the vaccine. EMA also said that EU member states can choose to adopt the same emergency authorization path, but the EU’s own procedures are “the most appropriate regulatory mechanism in the current pandemic emergency”.
In addition, many officials, such as members of the European Parliament and the German Minister of Health, have questioned Britain’s “speed grabbing”.
In contrast, British officials are immersed in a “national pride”.
After the vaccine was approved, British Commerce Secretary Sharma said that the authorization was an achievement of the UK. He said: “In the next few years, we will record this moment as the day when Britain leads all mankind in the fight against this disease.”
Gavin Williamson, the British Secretary of Education, said on the program, “This is because our country has the best talents and the best medical regulations – much better than France, much better than Belgium, and much better than the United States. It’s much better than any of them, isn’t it?”
“This vaccine nationalism should not be done in the midst of the coronavirus epidemic or other major international public health events,” Jeremy Farrar, a scientific adviser to the British government, criticized several British officials. “For this terrible global epidemic, the Learning is always out – science is ‘global’.”
The United Kingdom became the first country in the world to approve the large-scale use of Pfizer/BioNTech coronavirus vaccine, and the first vaccines will arrive in the UK in the next few days and be safely launched. This is the fastest vaccine ever developed, and it only took 10 months from concept to approval for listing. The vaccine must be stored in an environment of minus 70°C, packaged in dry ice and transported in special boxes. Once the vaccine is delivered, it can be stored in the freezer for 5 days.
