The director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) told Congress on Friday that he was not directly involved in the Trump administration’s decision to order hospitals to stop sending COVID-19 data directly to the agency.
Earlier this month, the administration told hospitals to start reporting hospitalization and testing data to a new Health and Human Services database managed by a private contractor, bypassing the CDC.
“We were not directly involved in the final decision, but what I can say is this: CDC at that time and now continue to have access to all of the data, they do all of the data analysis, so there is no restriction on any of the data “Director Robert Redfield told the House Select Subcommittee on the coronavirus response.
Rep. Maxine Waters
Maxine Moore Waters: Night Defense: Pompeo Lobbed To Pull Troops Out Of Germany | Panel abruptly dismisses confirmation hearing | Trump reunites with family of murdered soldier Senate panel rejects confirmation hearing for controversial last-minute Pentagon nominee Overnight Defense: Guard to testify that Lafayette Square clearing was ‘unprovoked escalation’ | Democrats push for controversial Pentagon candidate to withdraw | Watchdog Says Pentagon Does Not Consider Climate Change Risks For Contractors MORE CDC Director Redfield spoke about the Trump administrator’s decision that hospital data bypass his department pic.twitter.com/eScqtT2QNb
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Redfield, under questioning by Representative Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), Said she was informed of the change after the CDC’s parent agency, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), made the decision.
He also said he has not discussed the decision with HHS Secretary Alex Azar or Vice President Pence, who led the administration’s COVID-19 response.
Redfield said the purpose of the change was to improve access to hospitalization data in real time so that the administration can get a better idea of where to send remdesivir, a drug that has been shown to treat COVID-19.
“I think the reason changes were made was to ensure that people could access a desktop in a timely manner,” said Redfield.
The change was criticized by some public health experts who fear that the administration will sideline CDC in its response to the coronavirus.
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