Fauci apologises for casting doubt over UK’s approval of Pfizer vaccine

LONDON (Reuters) – Anthony Fauci, the top U.S. infectious diseases expert, apologised on Thursday after casting doubt over the rigour of the British regulators who approved the Pfizer vaccine against COVID-19 and said he had faith in their work.

“There really has been a misunderstanding, and for that I’m sorry, and I apologise for that,” Fauci said in an interview with BBC television, after his earlier comments on CBS were broadcast in Britain and received prominent coverage.

“I do have great faith in both the scientific community and the regulatory community in the UK,” Fauci said.

“I did not mean to apply any sloppiness (to the UK regulatory process) even though it came out that way,” he said. “So if it did, I just want to set the record straight. I have a great deal of confidence in what the UK does both scientifically and from a regulatory standpoint.”

(Reporting by Estelle Shirbon; Editing by Leslie Adler)