White House tells FDA head to approve vaccine or resign

Dr. Stephen M. Hahn, the 24th head of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), has been put on notice by White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows.

Meadows has said in no uncertain terms that Hahn needs to either have the vaccine approved by Friday or resign his position by the end of the business day if he is not capable of doing so.

According to the Washington Post, the (multiple) sources of this information wish to remain anonymous for the time being, due to the sensitive nature of what is being discussed.

Current US President Donald Trump appears to be fully on board with Meadows' ultimatum:

"While my pushing the money drenched but heavily bureaucratic @US_FDA saved five years in the approval of NUMEROUS great new vaccines, it is still a big, old, slow turtle. Get the damn vaccines out NOW, Dr. Hahn @SteveFDA. Stop playing games and start saving lives!!!"

The FDA in response issued a statement early Friday morning saying that they in turn "rapidly work toward finalization and issuance of an emergency use authorization."

"FDA Commissioner @SteveFDA and @FDACBER Director Dr. Peter Marks issue a statement on yesterday’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee Meeting. https://go.usa.gov/xAcjW"

The statement was signed by Hahn himself and also Peter Marks, the FDA's director of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, the department in charge of such things as vaccines. It went on to postulate that they planned to have all the steps completed by the end of the day on Friday.