Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Azar Says Election Timing Plays No Role In Vaccine Decisions
CBS News: Alex Azar Says Timeline Of Coronavirus Vaccine Distribution "Has Nothing To Do With Elections"
Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar joined "CBS This Morning" for an exclusive interview Thursday, saying politics will not be the determining factor in the distribution of a vaccine. "President Trump has made it clear and I've made it clear these decisions will be driven by-- by the standards of science and evidence and FDA's gold standards," Azar told co-host Tony Dokoupil. (9/3)
Politico: HHS Secretary Insists No Politics At Play In Coronavirus Vaccine Race
“I think it’s very irresponsible how people are trying to politicize notions of delivering a vaccine to the American people,” Azar told “CBS This Morning” in an interview. ... Although Azar said it was unclear when the data from those studies would be reported, he argued that “if we get a vaccine, we need to be ready to distribute that.” (Forgey, 9/3)
AP: White House Faces Skepticism Over Prospects For A Vaccine
Could the U.S. really see a coronavirus vaccine before Election Day?A letter from federal health officials instructing states to be ready to begin distributing a vaccine by Nov. 1 — two days before the election — has been met, not with exhilaration, but with suspicion among some public health experts, who wonder whether the Trump administration is hyping the possibility or intends to rush approval for political gain. (Johnson and Smith, 9/3)
Pfizer vows not to cut corners as scientists express concern —
CNBC: Pfizer CEO Confirms Coronavirus Vaccine Trial May Have Results In October
Pfizer could have results from its late-stage coronavirus vaccine trial as early as October, CEO Albert Bourla said Thursday. ... “We expect by the end of October, we should have enough ... to say whether the product works or not,” he said. (Lovelace Jr., 9/3)
CIDRAP: CEO Says Pfizer Won't Cut Corners In COVID Vaccine Race
The head of US drug maker Pfizer said today that his company would not submit a COVID-19 vaccine for approval or emergency use authorization (EUA) if its scientists don't have data from large phase 3 trials showing safety and efficacy. "We will never submit for authorization or approval any vaccine before we feel that it is safe and effective," Albert Bourla, DVM, PhD, chairman and CEO of Pfizer, said in a press briefing organized by the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations. "We will not cut corners." (Dall, 9/3)
And in other vaccine news —
CBS News: GlaxoSmithKline And Sanofi To Start Testing Coronavirus Vaccine On Americans
Sanofi and GlaxoSmithKline said they are starting a human trial of their COVID-19 vaccine in the U.S. The trial will involve 440 healthy adults, with the drugmakers expecting preliminary results in early December. (Picchi, 9/3)
NBC News: COVID-19 Vaccine By Nov. 1: Scientists Call For Full Release Of Data Before Distribution
Successfully rolling out a coronavirus vaccine by Nov. 1 will rely on clinical trials conducted at unprecedented speed, coupled with public release of research that shows it is both safe and effective, experts say. Reaction to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's letter to states to prepare for "large-scale" distribution of the vaccine in November — specifically, two days before the presidential election — triggered swift concern that political pressure could override commitments to safety. (Edwards, 9/3)
