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Trump administration ready to ‘enhance’ Pfizer, Moderna vaccine production -Azar – Metro US

Trump administration ready to ‘enhance’ Pfizer, Moderna vaccine production -Azar

FILE PHOTO: A member of medical staff holds a phial
FILE PHOTO: A member of medical staff holds a phial of the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine jab, at Guy’s Hospital in London

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Trump administration is ready to leverage federal authority to help Pfizer Inc and Moderna boost their COVID-19 manufacturing capabilities, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said on Friday but offered no details.

“We’re very optimistic about our ability to enhance production from Pfizer and Moderna to get additional commitments,” Azar told Fox Business Network in an interview. Azar cited the Defense Production Act but did not specifically say the law would be invoked.

“We’ll use whatever powers we need, but I’m sure it’s going to be cooperative… they want to help,” Azar added.

(Reporting by Susan Heavey, Editing by Franklin Paul)