Trump holds vaccine summit amid scrutiny over Pfizer deal failure
Donald Trump aims to take credit on Tuesday for the rapid development of coronavirus vaccines, even as concerns grow about supply and timelines for inoculating Americans and the government comes under scrutiny for failing to lock in a chance to buy millions of additional doses of one of the leading contenders.
That decision could delay the delivery of a second batch of doses until Pfizer fulfills other international contracts.
The revelation, confirmed by people familiar with the matter, came on the eve of Trump’s plans to host a White House summit aimed at celebrating the expected regulatory approval of the first vaccine for emergency use in the US, later this week.
The news came as the first person to receive a coronavirus vaccination in the world since regulatory approval was granted, post-clinical trials, was a 90year-old woman in the UK who was inoculated on Tuesday.
It also emerged as the US was set to surpass 15 million coronavirus cases and experienced a record death toll in the past week of almost 16,000 Americans killed as a result of Covid-19, the highest totals in the world.
Trump’s administration is seeking to tamp down public skepticism over the vaccine and secure a key component of the president’s legacy.
The focus was to be on the administration’s plans to distribute and administer the vaccine, but officials from the president-elect Joe Biden’s transition team, which will oversee the bulk of the largest vaccination program in the nation’s history once he takes office on January 20, were not invited.
Pfizer’s vaccine is expected to be endorsed by a panel of regulators from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as soon as this week, with delivery of 100 million doses – enough for 50 million Americans as two shots per person are required for optimal immunity – expected in coming months.
Under its contract with Pfizer, the Trump administration committed to buy an initial 100 million doses, with an option to purchase as many as five times more.
This summer, the White House opted not to lock in an additional 100 million doses for delivery in the second quarter of 2021, according to a report in the New York Times, backed by others who spoke to The Associated Press about the matter on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss it publicly.
Days ahead of the vaccine’s expected approval, the administration is reversing course, but it is not clear that Pfizer, which has since made commitments to other countries, will be able to meet the latest request on the same timeline.
The Pfizer vaccine is one of two
on track for emergency FDA authorization this month, the other coming from drugmaker Moderna.
The Trump administration insisted late Monday that between those two vaccines and others in the pipeline, the US will be able to accommodate any American who wants to be vaccinated by the end of the second quarter of 2021.
Health secretary Alex Azar told NBC the administration is “continuing to work across manufacturers to expand the availability of releasable, of FDA-approved vaccine as quickly as possible … We do still have that option for an additional 500 million doses.”
The “Operation Warp Speed” summit will feature Trump, vice president Mike Pence and a host of government experts, state leaders and business executives, as the White House looks to explain that the vaccine is safe and lay out the administration’s plans to bring it to the American people.
Senior administration officials provided details on the summit on Monday. An official with the Biden transition confirmed no invitation was extended.
Officials from the pharmaceutical companies developing the vaccines also were not expected to attend, despite receiving invitations, according to people familiar with the matter.
Some expressed concerns about the event contributing to the politicization of the vaccine development process and potentially further inhibiting public confidence in the drugs.
Trump is set to kick off the event with remarks aiming to “celebrate“vaccine development, according to an official who previewed the event.
Trump also will sign an executive order to prioritize Americans for coronavirus vaccines procured by the federal government. A second official said the order would restrict the US government from donating doses to other nations.