Why Fauci thinks COVID-19 vaccines' full FDA approval is 'only a technical issue'

Anthony Fauci, MD, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told ABC News he's certain the COVID-19 vaccines that have earned the FDA's emergency use authorization will be granted full approval from the agency.

"There's no doubt in my mind that these vaccines are going to get full approval because of the extraordinary amount of positive data," Dr. Fauci said July 11.

A Kaiser Family Foundation poll in May found that 32 percent of unvaccinated people said they'd be more likely to get a shot if it was fully approved by the FDA. Some unvaccinated people have said they view emergency use authorizations as an indicator the vaccines are still experimental and haven't been fully tested.

Dr. Fauci told ABC News these concerns could be resolved by the fact that there is now a significant amount of real-world data showing COVD-19 vaccines to be safe and effective at protecting against COVID-19.

"Although it's understandable — quite understandable — that some people might say, 'Well, we want to wait for the full approval,' that's really only a technical issue,” Dr. Fauci said. "It's the FDA dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s. But there's no doubt in my mind that these vaccines are going to get full approval because of the extraordinary amount of positive data."

 

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