Posted by Michael Wonder on 24 Sep 2020
Trump claims White House can overrule FDA's attempt to toughen guidelines for coronavirus vaccine
24 September 2020 - President Donald Trump claimed Wednesday that the White House could override the US FDA if the agency released tougher standards for the authorisation of a COVID-19 vaccine, casting such a move as "political."
His comments come as the FDA considers new COVID-19 vaccine guidelines that would likely push an authorisation beyond Election Day, according to three sources familiar with the situation. That timeline would dash Trump's hopes of a pre-election authorisation, having repeatedly said the vaccine could be ready by November 3.
"We're looking at that and that has to be approved by the White House. We may or may not approve it," the President said of the new FDA guidelines at a White House news conference. "That sounds like a political move."
