Dr. Fauci has since apologized for his comments
Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images
While Fauci’s comments echoed those of his fellow regulators in E.U. countries, Fauci later told the BBC that his comments had come out the wrong way. “There really has been a misunderstanding, and for that I’m sorry, and I apologize for that,” he said. “I do have great faith in both the scientific community and the regulatory community in the U.K. I did not mean to apply any sloppiness (to the UK regulatory process), even though it came out that way,” Fauci said (via Reuters).
He also admitted that there was no way that the approval process could have gone as quickly in the United States because there was so much skepticism over the vaccines. “If we had for example approved it yesterday or tomorrow, there likely would have been pushback on an already scrutinizing society,” he said. “You know, at the end of the day, it’s going to be safe, it’s going to be effective, the people in the U.K. are going to receive it and they’re going to do really well, and the people in the United States are going to receive it and we’re going to do pretty well,” Fauci added. Fauci is the only pandemic expert who has walked back his criticism. Other voices in the European Union have not, including German Health Minister Jens Spagn who said: “The idea is not to be first but to have a safe and effective vaccine” (via Reuters).
The Reason Dr. Fauci Is Apologizing For His COVID Vaccine Comments
Peter Summers/Getty Images
By Hope Ngo/Dec. 4, 2020 9:40 am EST
Dr. Fauci has since apologized for his comments
Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images
While Fauci’s comments echoed those of his fellow regulators in E.U. countries, Fauci later told the BBC that his comments had come out the wrong way. “There really has been a misunderstanding, and for that I’m sorry, and I apologize for that,” he said. “I do have great faith in both the scientific community and the regulatory community in the U.K. I did not mean to apply any sloppiness (to the UK regulatory process), even though it came out that way,” Fauci said (via Reuters).
He also admitted that there was no way that the approval process could have gone as quickly in the United States because there was so much skepticism over the vaccines. “If we had for example approved it yesterday or tomorrow, there likely would have been pushback on an already scrutinizing society,” he said. “You know, at the end of the day, it’s going to be safe, it’s going to be effective, the people in the U.K. are going to receive it and they’re going to do really well, and the people in the United States are going to receive it and we’re going to do pretty well,” Fauci added. Fauci is the only pandemic expert who has walked back his criticism. Other voices in the European Union have not, including German Health Minister Jens Spagn who said: “The idea is not to be first but to have a safe and effective vaccine” (via Reuters).
“There really has been a misunderstanding, and for that I’m sorry, and I apologize for that,” he said. “I do have great faith in both the scientific community and the regulatory community in the U.K. I did not mean to apply any sloppiness (to the UK regulatory process), even though it came out that way,” Fauci said (via Reuters).
He also admitted that there was no way that the approval process could have gone as quickly in the United States because there was so much skepticism over the vaccines. “If we had for example approved it yesterday or tomorrow, there likely would have been pushback on an already scrutinizing society,” he said. “You know, at the end of the day, it’s going to be safe, it’s going to be effective, the people in the U.K. are going to receive it and they’re going to do really well, and the people in the United States are going to receive it and we’re going to do pretty well,” Fauci added.
Fauci is the only pandemic expert who has walked back his criticism. Other voices in the European Union have not, including German Health Minister Jens Spagn who said: “The idea is not to be first but to have a safe and effective vaccine” (via Reuters).
