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Rick Bright, the ousted health and social services official, will be one of 10 members of Democratic President Joe Biden’s coronavirus task force advisory board, Biden’s transition team announced on Monday.
“Dealing with the coronavirus pandemic is one of the most important battles our administration will face, and I will be informed by science and by experts,” Biden said in a statement. “The advisory board will help shape my approach to managing the outbreak of reported infections; ensuring that vaccines are safe, effective, and distributed effectively, equitably, and free; and protecting populations at risk.”
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Biden’s campaign praised Bright for his career “focused on developing vaccines, drugs and diagnostics to fight emerging infectious diseases and threats to national security.”
Richard Bright, former director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, testifies during a Health Subcommittee hearing of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee, Thursday, May 14, 2020, at Capitol Hill in Washington. (Greg Nash / Pool via AP)
Bright testified before Congress in May after filing a whistleblower complaint that he was removed from office after refusing to follow Trump administration messages touting hydroxychloroquine, a malaria drug that had not proven effective against COVID-19.
“Without better planning, 2020 could be the darkest winter in modern history,” Bright warned in May.
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Bright was the director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA). He was fired from that post in April and reassigned to a post with the National Institutes of Health.
Bright said he had been relegated to a lower position because he would not allow the widespread use of hydroxychloroquine. Bright said the Trump administration wanted to “flood” hot spots in New York and New Jersey with the drug.
Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said Bright’s transfer to NIH was a promotion.
President-elect Joe Biden points to the crowd as he stands on stage after speaking on Saturday, November 7, 2020 in Wilmington, Del. (AP Photo / Andrew Harnik)
The department criticized Bright for “politicizing” the response to the pandemic.
“Rick Bright has been transferred from his role as director of BARDA to lead a bold new billion dollar testing program at NIH critical to saving lives and reopening America,” said a spokesperson for HHS in a press release.
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Bright, who has a doctorate. in Immunology, joined BARDA in 2010. From 2011 to 2015, he was both Deputy Director and Acting Director of BARDA’s Influenza and Emerging Diseases Division. In 2016, he was appointed by President Barack Obama to lead BARDA.
“I don’t know the so-called whistleblower Rick Bright, I’ve never met or even heard of him, but to me he’s a disgruntled employee, not liked or respected by people to whom I spoke and who, with his attitude, should not work more for our government! “President Trump wrote on Twitter May 14.
Fox News’ Morgan Phillips and Ronn Blitzer contributed to this report.
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