The European Commission has been widely criticised for its slow rollout of vaccination programmes (Image: GETTY)
One EU official told Ms Adler: "It's like watching a car crash in slow motion. President von der Leyen is a medical doctor.
"She wanted to take over the mass purchase of vaccines for all the EU - as a high-profile exercise.
"Normally health issues are dealt with nationally. This hasn't been a great advertisement for handing over powers to Brussels.
"I think that's the lesson member states will take away from this."
This comes amid news that German Chancellor Angela Merkel will hold crisis talks with pharmaceutical executives, regional German leaders and European Commission officials later today.