(WBEN) - The war of words continues between Governor Andrew Cuomo and the White House as Cuomo again publicly cast doubt on the capabilities of a COVID vaccine, insisting the state do its own review of anything approved by the FDA.
"Why is it moving so fast? Two reasons. Money and Ego," Cuomo said about the development of a COVID vaccine on Hot97 radio in New York City. "They'll do an emergency authorization from the FDA... where the FDA, because Trump will push them, will authorize the drug for emergency use. You could see it starting in January before Biden gets in to office. That's why I'm pushing so hard to make sure we have a process in place to check what the FDA says before we get a vaccine in New York."
Doctors throughout the country though are questioning why Cuomo would question the scientists working on a vaccine, and potentially delay its life-saving deployment.
"Everyone that's doing the research is following all the protocols," said Dr. Simone Wildes, and infectious disease specialist at South Shore Health. "It is really a little disheartening that people are using the timeline to create some mistrust about what we are doing to try and help everyone deal with this pandemic."
"Yes, I would get it," said Dr. Joe Chow, Medical Director at WNY Immediate Care when asked if he woulf be among the first to get an FDA-approved vaccine. "The FDA keeps in mind that this is going to be given to hundreds of Millions of people, so presumably they don't want to get this wrong either."
"Pfizer enrolling over 43,000 people in its clinical trial, Moderna over 30,000. We know, at least preliminarily that this looks safe," said Dr. Todd Ellerin.
Still, Cuomo accused the President of using a vaccine to stroke his own ego, and continued to say the process was flawed both in the development and deployment.
Those involved in that process, though, are looking past the political rhetoric.
"We've had a system in this country for a long time and it's a model for the world," said Brad Arthur, Pharmacist at Black Rock Pharmacy. "I don't think now is the time to question that system for political purposes or other purposes."
