UK government defends speed of vaccine approval after US criticism

Boris Johnson’s deputy spokesman said the UK medicines regulator had been ‘rigorous’ in its evaluation of the Pfizer vaccine Picture: John Sibley/PA

The British government has defended the UK medicines regulator after criticism from America’s top infectious disease expert that the Pfizer vaccine approval had been “rushed”.

In comments he has since rowed back from, Dr Anthony Fauci, the director of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said Britain “kind of ran around the corner of the marathon and joined it in the last mile” after becoming the first country in the world to sign off on allowing the vaccine to be administered.