Scientists at the Federal Drug Administration Backed Trump Off


There was pressure from the Trump Administration for the FDA to declare a vaccine approved before the election and then before Trump left office. If it was promised by the FDA and turned out not to be true the FDA would forever be seen as a political organization, not one based on science. 

The interim director was unfamiliar with politics and made missteps. He was so uncomfortable he considered resigning. But, he realized someone might replace him who would bend to Trump's political wishes. He soldiered on in a hostile environment.

During his term as an interim director, Stephen Hahn, was so hesitant some of the scientists were afraid he would knuckle under to Trump. They were angry with the Trump political appointees because they could see the pandemic coming and knew if the were funded for preparations thousands of lives could be saved. Their desire to began early preparations were shrugged off and the consequences are now known.

Hahn had the wisdom to realize he was over matched in politics and needed a circle of colleagues to help him proceed with the vaccine program in an orderly manner. A group met with him several times a week to go over current events and map out a way of dealing with them. By doing so he was able to hold off the aggressive moves of Trump political appointees, ride out the storm and release news about the vaccine without regard to who won the election or when the official transition was to take place. As it turned out, approval of the vaccine was announced after the election but before Inauguration. This, of course, angered Trump.

While Trump should get credit for making funds available to expedite development of vaccines, scientists never liked the term "warp speed." They felt it would cause suspicion among the public about the vaccine's safety. Sure enough, I asked a woman in my condo building if she and her often ill husband had been able to schedule their vaccinations yet. She angrily replies they will not be vaccinated because the vaccines were developed too rapidly. "What is in them? No one knows." she explained.  

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