Sounds familiar: This is the second time in a week that Trump has accused FDA scientists of deliberately obstructing the coronavirus response.
The president pleaded guilty Wednesday government scientists for slow-running convalescent plasma, a safe but unproven therapy, for political reasons. In that case, the FDA decided against authorizing emergency use of the plasma after scientists at the National Institutes of Health warned that the data from the clinical trial were still thin.
Trump has also repeatedly denounced hydroxochloroquine, citing “many doctors” who believe the malaria drug is effective against Covid-19, despite several clinical studies showing that it has no effect.
The series of tweets follows a week in which speakers at the Democratic National Convention paralyzed the president’s treatment of the virus, claiming that the death toll – now more than 175,000 – would not be as high as Trump’s science for ego and would set politics.
Why this is important: The FDA is not in charge of whether people sign up for a drug test; that is treated by the medicine companies. But the agency approves new therapies. The president’s behavior has raised fears that the FDA will succumb to political pressure and approve a vaccine or medication that is not yet ready for prime time.
Hahn has made conservative efforts over the past two weeks to allay those concerns, assessing the agency’s independence in a series of op-eds and appearances. Despite these efforts, Americans appear to be aware of a prospective coronavirus vaccine, with nearly 20 percent of the people, according to recent polls, saying they would refuse one, in part, for fear that his approval was sparked by the to please the President.
