Trump lashes out at FDA over vaccine guidelines

President Trump tore into the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Tuesday night after it unveiled new coronavirus vaccine guidelines.

“New FDA Rules make it more difficult for them to speed up vaccines for approval before Election Day. Just another political hit job!” Trump tweeted.

New FDA Rules make it more difficult for them to speed up vaccines for approval before Election Day. Just another political hit job! @SteveFDA

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 7, 2020

The message comes after the FDA said it wants coronavirus vaccine developers to submit two months of safety data before applying for emergency approval, a move that would circumvent the White House. 

The announcement urges drugmakers that are working on crafting a vaccine to monitor patients for at least two months so they can effectively evaluate possible negative impacts in their trials.

The White House had blocked the FDA from formally releasing the guidance amid reports that administration officials had voiced skepticism over the need for two months of safety data. 

Trump has repeatedly boasted that a coronavirus vaccine could be available to at least parts of the public by Election Day, though some health officials have said that timeline is not realistic, fueling concerns that the president is trying to politicize the response to the pandemic. 

The FDA has emerged as a top target for Trump, who has floated the theory that some health officials are working to undermine him by imposing tougher standards for the emergency authorization of a coronavirus vaccine.

“That has to be approved by the White House. We may or may not approve it. That sounds like a political move,” Trump told reporters at a White House briefing last month when asked if he agreed with the FDA’s plans for new guidance. 

Several drug companies are in the third stage of clinical trials for potential vaccines as they work to determine the safety and effectiveness of their shots.