Stephen Hahn, the head of the Food and Drug Administration, was summoned to the White House to explain why his agency hasn’t moved faster to authorize Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use.
ABC News reported Hahn was seen arriving at the White House Tuesday morning for his meeting with chief of staff Mark Meadows. The network news said the meeting came amid President Donald Trump’s frustrations over the FDA not authorizing the vaccine fast enough. It was unknown whether Trump would attend the meeting.
"Let me be clear — our career scientists have to make the decision and they will take the time that's needed to make the right call on this important decision," Hahn had said in a statement to Axios.
An administration official told the outlet: "There are some who are complaining the FDA is not working around the clock to get things approved and because of that, Meadows has asked Dr. Hahn for a briefing."
A senior administration official told Axios that Hahn had spent a week vacationing in North Carolina in mid-November.
But the FDA insisted he was under quarantine after being exposed to COVID-19 and continued to work.
Meanwhile, ABC News reported the White House meeting served as an indication the administration is applying pressure on the FDA to increase the speed of its authorization process.
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany told Fox News Tuesday morning: "This president will never apologize for putting the fire under these agencies to say 'yes we want a safe vaccine, absolutely.' We also want a fast one because lives are at stake."
Jeffrey Rodack ✉
Jeffrey Rodack, who has nearly a half century in news as a senior editor and city editor for national and local publications, has covered politics for Newsmax for nearly seven years.
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