A group of drug companies racing against each other to develop coronavirus vaccines, are planning to release a statement early next week pledging that they will not prematurely release a vaccine amid political pressure to deliver on a presidential election timeline that is now just two months away.A copy of the companies’ draft statement obtained by the Wall Street Journal says the drugmakers will submit applications for government emergency-use authorization or vaccine licensing based on “substantial evidence of safety and efficacy” from advanced clinical trials conducted under Food and Drug Administration guidance.The announcement of the pledge comes as concerns mount that a COVID-19 vaccine is being jammed through federal regulation to deliver a Trump campaign victory ahead of the election.
It's definitely a good thing that these drug companies are publicly pledging to commit to safety and efficacy --- though it's definitely a BAD thing that the federal government has abandoned even the pretense of caring about the safety of the American public, thus forcing us to put our trust in big pharma.
And that's where the bad news comes in. I'm pretty sure if someone had suggested in 2016 that we'd see a story like this, they would have been dismissed as a left-wing whackadoo (emphasis mine):
The timeline coincides within days of the presidential elections on Nov. 3. Last month, President Donald Trump tweeted a conspiracy meant to pressure and simultaneously undermine the FDA by suggesting that a “deep state” within the agency was intentionally delaying trials for a vaccine to deny him a victory that would likely boost his chances ahead of the election.
Those remarks have intensified concern by lawmakers, with some states even refusing to distribute a vaccine if it is not properly vetted or that appears to cling too closely to Trump’s political schedule.
While the federal government has pledged to deliver 300 million doses by January 2021, the FDA has said it won’t approve a shot for coronavirus unless there is evidence showing it is 50% effective compared with a placebo.
But the credibility of the FDA is in repair, after it recently hastily authorized convalescent plasma to treat Covid-19 patients.
Earlier this summer, the FDA was also forced to revoke the emergency-use authorization of hydroxychloroquine, an antimalarial touted by Trump following concerns about its safety and efficacy as treatment.
Some in the #TrumpDeathCult have suggested that Trump should be allowed to run for re-election twice, since his first term was somehow nullified by the Russia investigation. This is a particularly ridiculous suggestion, and not just because every credible investigation of Trump's collusion with Russia in the 2016 election shows that he's guilty.
But if it were possible to ignore the 22nd amendment for anyone, it would be Joe Biden (in the event he actually defeats Trump), since it seems it will take a MINIMUM of 4 years to undo all of the damage Trump has done to America and its government.
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