Sen. Markey presses for investigation into removal of BARDA Director Bright

Fallout from Dr. Rick Bright’s sudden removal from his post as director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) is growing, as U.S. Sen. Edward Markey calls for an official investigation into the motivations behind the move.

Bright has served as BARDA director since 2016, but last week, the U.S. Department of Health suddenly announced that he had been reassigned to a different role within the National Institutes of Health. Bright followed up with a statement, claiming that he had been replaced due to resisting “potentially dangerous drugs promoted by those with political connections.” He admitted this led to clashes with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) leadership.

“Specifically, and contrary to misguided directives, I limited the broad use of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine, promoted by the Administration as a panacea, but which clearly lack scientific merit,” Bright said.

Markey labeled the allegations, if true, “shocking and disturbing” for the implications it reveals on the Trump administration’s COVID-19 response efforts. It would effectively show that misinformation had taken precedence over science.

“Our government’s response to the coronavirus crisis must be based on science and data, especially when it comes to recommendations of treatments during a pandemic,” Markey said. “Listening to and relying on our public health, medical, and scientific experts is more critical than it has ever been. If Donald Trump doesn’t like scientific evidence because it doesn’t support his view of the world or financial interests, he cannot be permitted to simply silence the scientists.”

In a request to the Office of the Inspector General of the HHS, Markey called for an investigation into Bright’s allegations.

“As the nation battles the coronavirus pandemic, science, not politics, must be our lodestar,” Markey said.