The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in a recent statement has defended itself from allegations of political pressure over the approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid vaccine timing and has provided new information on the risks to people with allergies. On Friday, FDA has approved Emergency Use authorization for the two-dose regimen of Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine, a report followed that President Donald Trump had threatened to fire the head of the agency if he didn't act that day.
Earlier top administrative officials from White House has informed that Trump administration has warned the FDA chief, that if the announcement about the vaccine roll out was not made by the end of Friday then his job will be in trouble. However, the FDA commissioner Stephen Hahn denied this, and told the reporters that "The representations in the press that I was threatened to be fired if we didn't get it done by a certain date is inaccurate." He added that the decision expected later was purely "based on the strongest scientific integrity."
As the vaccines are almost transported, the FDA added few other information, almost four million Americans with EpiPen are excluded from the jabs, people with allergic history are also exempted, however there is no information regarding whether pregnant women or the immunocompromised should be given the shots. FDA scientist Peter Marks also extended support for Pfizer's plan to allow people involved in the clinical trial to find out whether they had received the vaccine or placebo. As per Pfizer's plan, people who received Placebo can request the vaccine when their demographic group's turn comes up.
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