Donald Trump’s bad medicine
In the latest effort by Donald Trump to salvage his chances for re-election, he announced that the Food and Drug Administration had authorized the use of convalescent plasma to try to address the coronavirus. Despite scientists objecting, Trump has gone ahead and obtained approval from the FDA, the group he blasted a few days ago, accusing it of being full of “Deep State” individuals and stating, ““You have lot of people over there that don’t want to rush things. They want to do it after November 3rd.”
But now Trump is gloating, stating at his recent press conference, “The FDA has issued an emergency use authorization (EUA)–and that’s such a powerful term–for a treatment known as convalescent plasma.” The FDA head, Dr. Hahn, a radiologist, at the press conference, thanked his boss, “Thank you, Mr. President, for your leadership.” Such tough leadership by Hahn, failing to defend his team. Perhaps the real scientists at the FDA are concerned about efficacy and that the treatment might actually successfully treat patients.
It is almost like this administration is interested in only one thing – lying and endangering the American population to ensure re-election of Trump. On Wednesday, the FDA head, Hahn, said that he used a poor choice of words talking about the efficacy, stating, “What I should have said better is that the data show a relative risk reduction not an absolute risk reduction.”
Also on Wednesday, the CDC offered up new guidance, indicating that individuals exposed to the virus need not necessarily get tested. It makes no sense, except it is just bad medicine. In another context, Bon Jovi sang about bad medicine, and the words seem to be apropos given the latest developments: “Shake it up just like bad medicine. There ain’t no doctor that can cure my disease.” We have here a publicity stunt by Alexander Azar and Hahn blindly supporting their leader. Bad medicine for sure.
Daniel is a lawyer writing and teaching about SCOTUS, and is the author of the book “The Chief Justices” about the SCOTUS as seen through the center seat.