Dr Anthony Fauci blames ‘gloating’ British interviewer for his attack on UK vaccine regulator

Anthony Fauci said the Brits had been gloating they beat the Americans to the punch on the vaccine approval

(Bloomberg via Getty Images)

America’s infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci said on Friday he was reacting to “gloating” by a British television interviewer when he criticised the UK’s quick approval of the first coronavirus vaccine.

Dr Fauci, longtime director of a leading US government health agency and member of the White House coronavirus task force, has apologised for his comments late on Thursday.

"It was just one of those things where I sat down in front of the TV with a British TV station and the first thing they said was, 'Ah, we beat you guys. We beat the Americans to the punch'. And I kind of reacted back at him when I think I probably should not have done," Dr Fauci told NBC's "Today" show.

On Wednesday, the UK became the first country in the world to approve the Pfizer vaccine, which is up to 95 per cent effective at fighting Covid-19.

Dr Fauci had claimed that the speed of any approval could damage confidence, telling Fox News: “If you go quickly and you do it superficially, people are not going to want to get vaccinated.

“We have the gold standard of a regulatory approach with the FDA. The UK did not do it as carefully and they got a couple of days ahead.”

The British medicines regulator has insisted that it approved the jab without compromising safety or cutting corners.

"When I got back on BBC I explained that that was taken out of context. Now the Brits are good. They know what they're doing - I mean they're really pros, so that was just not really what I meant," Dr Fauci said.

Dr Fauci initially responded to the announcement by telling US broadcasters that American regulators would do a “more thorough job” than the British who appeared to have “rushed” their assessments.

However, he later apologised for the remarks, saying there had been a “misunderstanding”.

He told the BBC: “Our process is one that takes more time than it takes in the UK. And that's just the reality.

“I did not mean to imply any sloppiness even though it came out that way."

Dr Fauci, director of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has been asked by President-elect Joe Biden to remain in that post and also be his chief medical adviser.

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