The emergency use authorization for convalescent plasma in August 2020 on weak data from an expanded access program has largely been viewed as a politically charged decision by the Trump administration. But newly revealed emails from the run up to the decision indicate Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research Director Peter Marks backed the plan.

US FDA and NIH leaders cite lack of early clinical trial coordination as a weakness in the pandemic response that led to use of compounds that were potentially harmful and, even today, still not proven to be effective.

National Academy of Medicines draft on equitable COVID-19 vaccine allocation needs more overt strategies to address equity, commenters say. Meanwhile, competing national and state efforts to address COVID-19 vaccination allocation could lead to confusion as the country struggles to fairly divide limited resources among many high-risk populations.