Fauci bullish on prospects for U.S. vaccine, not worried about China
winning race
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[July 16, 2020]
By Julie Steenhuysen
(Reuters) - The leading U.S. expert on
infectious diseases, Dr. Anthony Fauci, predicted on Wednesday the
country will meet its goal of a coronavirus vaccine by year's end and
was unmoved by the prospect that China would get there first.
While there are no guarantees, "I feel good about the projected
timetable," Fauci told Reuters in an interview.
His comments follow promising early stage data for the Moderna Inc's <MRNA.O>
coronavirus vaccine, released on Tuesday, that was developed by
scientists at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases,
which Fauci directs.
Many experts see a safe and effective vaccine as the only way out of the
pandemic that has infected millions and killed more than 575,000 people
worldwide.
Fauci said Moderna's results were especially promising because the
vaccine appeared to offer the type of protection seen in a natural
infection.
In vaccine development, "one of the things that you hope for is that
your vaccine induces a response that's comparable to a natural
infection, because theoretically, the best vaccine you could possibly
ever get is a natural infection."
Moderna's candidate, which is set to enter the last stage of testing on
July 27, is just one of more than a hundred vaccines in development
globally, but only one of a few contenders that have earned millions of
dollars in backing from Operation Warp Speed, the White House program
that aims to deliver more than 300 million doses of a safe and effective
COVID-19 vaccine by January.
Fauci, who has become a popular and trusted figure during the
coronavirus outbreak, came under criticism from President Donald Trump
and some of his Republican allies as Fauci cautioned against reopening
the U.S. economy too soon.
Asked how he copes with the attacks on his character and allegiance to
the president, Fauci told Reuters, "I don't let it bother me. What we're
doing with vaccines, what we're doing with therapeutics, what we're
doing with clinical trials is the real substance," Fauci said.
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National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Dr.
Anthony Fauci is reflected in a video monitor behind him on stage as
he listens to the daily coronavirus task force briefing at the White
House in Washington, U.S., April 8, 2020. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File
Photo
VACCINE RACE
As U.S. states have begun to reopen businesses and coronavirus
infections have soared, some White House officials have pointed
fingers at China, where the virus first emerged late last year.
Fauci was unmoved by the prospect that China could cross the finish
line first. Although he said he hopes China succeeds, he does not
think they will win the vaccine race, at least not by much.
"I think everybody's sort of on the same track." If they do get
there, he said, "They're not going to get it particularly sooner
than we get it. That's for sure."
Ultimately, he hopes multiple successful candidates prevail. "I
don't worry about anybody getting there first."
Even if a vaccine succeeds in provoking an immune response, Fauci
said it is still not clear how long that protection will last.
"These are questions that don't have answers right now, because
we're only six months into the outbreak." He said it may take a year
before that immunity question is answered.
A recent Reuters poll found that a quarter of Americans are hesitant
about taking a vaccine, voicing concern that the record pace of
development could compromise safety. Fauci said he is aware of such
concerns.
"It's understandable, but unjustified," he said. "We're not
compromising safety; we're not compromising scientific integrity."
Fauci said the normal development process of waiting for a vaccine
to be proven effective before manufacturing begins wastes precious
time.
"If the vaccine doesn't work, the only thing you've lost is money."
(Reporting by Julie Steenhuysen in Chicago; Editing by Lisa
Shumaker)
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