How the FDA Stood Up To Trump

FDA and Scientists Say ‘No’ to Trump Pandemic Instructions

Here’s how the FDA and a band of frustrated scientists stood up to President Trump after months of political pressure over the pandemic. https://t.co/dFdc3UIN6o

— The New York Times (@nytimes) October 21, 2020

Health Editor’s Note: As VT has reported, Trump has openly accused the FDA of trying to destroy his re-election chances. Well, Trump accuses the FDA along with others, but this story is about Trump and the FDA locking horns, so to speak. Dr. Hahn, FDA commissioner, has asked that any communication with the White House be routed directly to him to spare his staff, the ramblings of the disgruntled Trump and his minions.  

Policymakers and scientists have questioned whether Dr. Hahn could preserve their scientific integrity in the face of a president who openly calls them untrustworthy actors of the deep state. Trump pretends he knows what he is talking about as he continually touts one cure or treatment or another, downplays his own “case” of COVID-19,  but of course he has no scientific knowledge nor does he listen to those he has ‘chosen’ to keep him up to date on all things COVID-19. 

Early in September, a team of experts in the FDA’s Office of Vaccines Research and Review put together new guidelines, to make any standards for vaccine safety and effectiveness very clear, but within days these guidelines were attacked by Trump who began sputtering about how to get rid of these new safety guidelines which would insure his promise to have a vaccine by November would not be possible.

An outside group of vaccine experts will meet Oct. 22 to discuss these guidelines. Very strategically the FDA had produced/published these guidelines in order to keep the White House from blocking them by posting them online without fanfare with the White House only being given one hour notice. Oh, I guess seeing the coronavirus writing on the wall and the fact that the pharmaceutical industries that were involved in researching and testing COVID-19 vaccines were on board with the FDA guidelines the White House approved/cleared the guidelines for posting to the FDA website.  

We need a safe and effective vaccine and politics has not place in this scientific/medical responsibility. Trump has proven he does not care about how many sicken and die from coronavirus and continues to produce no leadership or plan to stop this pandemic. After all, Trump said his contracting COVID-19 was a blessing and he feels great. We will not be hearing that from the nearly one quarter of a million Americans who are now dead from COVID-19 and this pandemic is far from over….Carol

Carol Duff, MSN, BA, RN

Carol graduated from Riverside White Cross School of Nursing in Columbus, Ohio and received her diploma as a registered nurse. She attended Bowling Green State University where she received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History and Literature. She attended the University of Toledo, College of Nursing, and received a Master’s of Nursing Science Degree as an Educator.

She has traveled extensively, is a photographer, and writes on medical issues. Carol has three children RJ, Katherine, and Stephen – one daughter-in-law; Katie – two granddaughters; Isabella Marianna and Zoe Olivia – and one grandson, Alexander Paul. She also shares her life with her husband Gordon Duff, many cats, and two rescues.

• Carol’s Archives 2009-2013