Trump to name former pharma exec as vaccine czar

President Donald Trump is set to name a former pharmaceutical executive to le his ministration's all-out effort to produce and distribute a coronavirus vaccine by end of year.

Moncef Slaoui, a former GlaxoSmithKline executive, will le “Operation Warp Speed,” Trump's push to accelerate vaccine development process for COVID-19, according to an ministration official. Slaoui is to serve in a volunteer capacity, and will be assisted by Army Gen. Gustave Perna, commander of United States Army Materiel Command.

move comes as president and White House aides hope to produce vaccines for coronavirus faster than what many scientists believe is realistic. ministration is aiming to have 300 million doses to distribute to Americans by end of year, believing a reliable vaccine is only way to promote an ecomic rebound.

“Operation Warp Speed” is operating largely independently of existing White House coronavirus task force, which is also shifting its focus toward vaccine development.

initiative is being promoted by White House senior viser Jared Kushner, and involves officials from Defense Department and Department of Health and Human Services.

On Tuesday, Dr. Anthony Fauci, government's top infectious disease expert, said a vaccine would t be available by beginning of next acemic year.

“ idea of having treatments available or a vaccine to facilitate re-entry of students into fall term would be something that would be a bit of a bridge too far,” he said, “even at top speed we’re going.”