Senior Food and Drug Administration career employees defended the independence and professionalism of their agency in an op-ed published Thursday by USA Today seeking to allay concerns over the intermingling of politics and science. On Aug. 22, President Trump accused the FDA of being part of a “deep state” that was slowing development of vaccines and treatments until after the election. The next day, the FDA granted an emergency use authorization for convalescent plasma; during a White House news conference, FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn drastically overstated the benefits of plasma, then quickly apologized for it. The USA Today op-ed was an effort by the top career officials at the agency to stake out their position and to counter concerns they would make decisions based on political pressure. Others are urging the FDA to take additional steps to bolster public trust.

Source: Washington Post September 11, 2020 04:21 UTC