Dr. Rick Bright, the federal official formerly leading coronavirus vaccine development, says he was ousted this week for putting science over "politics and cronyism."
Bright was removed from his post as director of the Department of Health and Human Services' Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, Stat News reported earlier this week. Bright confirmed the news on Wednesday with a scathing statement, specifically saying he was ousted for not backing President Trump's preferred yet unproven treatment for COVID-19: hydroxychloroquine.
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Trump has repeatedly touted hydroxychloroquine as a "game changer" in treating COVID-19, even though it has proved ineffective and even deadly for some patients.
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