Concerns are mounting that Donald Trump's inner circle may pressure the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to fast-track a coronavirus vaccine ahead of the November presidential election. These fears have intensified after the White House attacked the agency for reversing its emergency use authorization of hydroxychloroquine, an experimental drug treatment.
Critics argue that the FDA's initial approval of hydroxychloroquine in April, which was revoked last Monday, shows the regulator is vulnerable to political pressure. Ezekiel Emanuel, a medical professor at the University of Pennsylvania, warned that using an emergency use authorization for a vaccine could lead to a public health disaster if people abandon social distancing measures based on an ineffective vaccine.
FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn stated that science and data, not politics, will guide vaccine decisions. However, some experts fear unprecedented pressure to deliver positive headlines for Trump as the election approaches. The US has recorded over 2 million Covid-19 cases and 119,000 deaths, with numbers continuing to rise.
The Trump administration's Operation Warp Speed, overseen by Jared Kushner, aims to deliver hundreds of millions of vaccine doses by the end of 2020. Five vaccine candidates have been selected for priority funding and trials, but the selection process has been criticised for lacking transparency. An unnamed source linked to the programme described the process as chaotic and opaque.
