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After weeks of his pushing and surveys to producers, he had a mtg on Feb 7 w/dept leadership when he urged them to secure N95 masks. They told Bright they did not believe there was critical urgency to procure.
Bright said there would be.
“The virus is spreading everywhere, people are getting restless and want to leave their homes and we have to make critical decisions about how to balance the economy and the science,” ousted vax chief Dr. Rick Bright told Congress Thursday.
courthousenews.com/ousted-vaccine…
He says if Bright's response to his warnings had been heeded, things may have been different. I'm sure it haunts you, Sarbanes says.
Absolutely, Bright said. They met on a monthly basis for years to discuss recommendations but it was SNS's responsibility to make those purchases, not BARDA.
Bright, waits a moment, "We had to come up with a different solution that the administration would respect."
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Bright made an annual salary of $285,000 at BARDA.
His salary has remained the same since he was transferred to NIH.
They just onboarded last night and just discussed his new responsibilities.
Rep Mullin, R-OK pushing Bright, saying "hm" as Bright explains the stressors he's undergone: "You can manage a pandemic, but you can't manage your own hypertension but you can still rec pay"
She says some are. And some are her work product.
And she says they are not appropriate to turn over but she then says she can discuss that as prev. established
Debra Katz goes to answer, Walden says, I'm talking to Bright.
Katz throws herself back in her chair.
Bright says he has submitted everything to OSC.
That's the theme today folks - we need cohesion across the board to see our way through.
Bright notes the messages, in context, were from "the early days."
That was January, Bright says.
He wasn't aware of Kadlec raising use of Defense Production Act at the same time though.
US sent 17.8 tons of medical supplies to China in January. The Trump admin budget in Feb 2020 called for a cut to CDC by nearly $700M.
Pete Navarro issued a memo warning of the possible impact of virus
There was spread among senior WH and admin officials.
Kennedy notes the order did not extend full authority and left states to haphazardly compete against each other for PPE.
Dr. Bright: I fear we have a lot to do, sir.
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He again mentions that Kadlec was dismissive of him.
Sounds to me like the committee needs to hear from Kadlec.
Healthcare workers are having to compromise their protection and their safety; like using a single mask for an entire week or cleaning them in ways that aren't fully vetted yet.
Rep Billy Long, R-Missouri says if the culture at HHS is so hostile to science as Bright alleges, why was Fauci permitted to testify? (Recall Fauci came toHouse in March)
"My supervisor was conducting an inappropriate activity going around scientific vetting," Bright says.
Then, "It was isolated with Dr. Kadlec... maybe some of his senior staff were aware."
He trails off.
Bright says, I didn't decide. I was pushed out.
Did Bright think it was under control at the time?
Bright says not he nor any scientist he knew thought so at the time.
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![](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EX_jlqiXQAcPHaz.png)
Reporting first on that from:
washingtonpost.com/business/2020/…
Bright notes lawmakers Navarro agreed with Bright, he drafted a memo on Feb to Mick Mulvaney to share those concerns w/task force.
Bright has repeatedly said why he first expressed interest in hydroxychloroquine. When they thought it would be randomized tests at NIH, that was one matter. It changed when the directive was broad distro w/o close supervision
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Bright seems to take a breath, settles himself and sits upright.
"The drug had been used safely for malaria for a number of years," he says, Carter crosstalks.
Rep Debbie Dingell speaks now, and talks about how many people she has lost in her own life due to Covid-19.
Bright: If we had proper PPE for HC workers. People died because they didn't have appropriate protective equipment to save their lives & protect them from getting infected
"There still are not enough tests."
Rep. Dingell: Is true, even this week that 'anybody who wants a test can get at test'? Is that true in the United States of America?
Dr. Bright: No.
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Bright: Unfortunately, there is increased concern in communities that are not part of the mainstream.
Whether it is health/HC or immunization status.
This virus will overcome us in significant ways, still.
It is worth noting that the lawmaker has lost family members to the virus in the last week.
Azar said only 300k +/- were needed at the start of the pandemic.
That's an order of magnitude so much less than what you stated, she says
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There are many different tests that tell us many different things.
Another challenge is, much testing capacity expansion is offshore.
Chairman Eshoo says he is the finest ambassador in our country for scientists.
The depth and breadth of his encyclopedic knowledge should give the American people confidence while he has also issued a warning
She thanks him for his courage, for what has raised his blood pressure, she says, in a nod to the intense questioning launched on Bright by a Republican lawmaker earlier.
He welcomed the hearing today, he appreciated Bright being here and says he does think we need to look into the issue of testing. "I simply do not understand how the CDC got so far behind the curve... but..."
Thanks for joining me. I will have an updated story for @CourthouseNews coming soon.
In the meantime, developing here:
courthousenews.com/ousted-vaccine…
wp.me/p7VhVF-2oPw