Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Trump To Hold 'Vaccine Summit' But Key Drugmakers Reject Invite
Stat: Pfizer, Moderna Decline Invitations To White House 'Vaccine Summit'
Both Pfizer and Moderna, the two major drug manufacturers likely to receive emergency authorizations for a Covid-19 vaccine in the coming weeks, have rejected invitations from President Trump to appear at a White House “Vaccine Summit” on Tuesday, according to two sources familiar with the event’s planning. (Facher, 12/7)
The Hill: Trump 'Vaccine Summit' Will Not Include Vaccine Manufacturers
A Trump administration "vaccine summit" aimed at building confidence in the COVID-19 vaccines under development and awaiting approval will not feature any of the vaccine manufacturers. The summit, to be held inside the White House on Tuesday, will feature panels of federal health officials, governors including Florida's Ron DeSantis (R) and Louisiana's John Bel Edwards (D), as well as representatives from companies involved in the distribution process like FedEx, UPS, CVS, McKesson and ThermoFisher. (Weixel, 12/7)
USA Today: White House Holds COVID-19 Summit As Pressure Mounts For Vaccine Approval
Tuesday's event will be split into sessions and is expected to include drug manufacturers, transportation companies like UPS and FedEx, drug store chains CVS and Walgreens, and a group of state governors. Moderna and Pfizer, the two U.S. companies behind the vaccine candidates, told USA TODAY that officials will not attend the summit. (Jackson and Subramanian, 12/7)
In related news —
USA Today: COVID Vaccine: Pfizer Board Member Disagrees With US Distribution Plan
By the end of the year, the United States government hopes to have close to 40 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine. It plans to distribute half of those in December and hold back the other half to give the same people their second dose of the two-shot regimen. But Dr. Scott Gottlieb, a Pfizer board member and former U.S. Food and Drug Administration commissioner, says that's a bad idea. Instead, Gottlieb says he would give out 35 million doses now, and presume the second doses will be available when people need them. (Rodriguez, 12/7)
