Probe sought in ouster of scientist
Calls mounted yesterday for an investigation into the ouster of a senior government scientist who says he’s being punished for opposing widespread use of an unproven drug President Donald Trump touted as a remedy for Covid-19. Rick Bright, former director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, says he was summarily removed from his job earlier this week and reassigned to a lesser role because he resisted political pressure to allow widespread use of hydroxychloroquine, a malaria drug favoured by Trump. House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, D-N.J., yesterday joined in calling for an investigation by the Health and Human Services inspector general. ‘‘Removing Dr Bright in the midst of a pandemic would raise serious concerns under any circumstances, but his allegations that political considerations influenced this decision heighten those concerns and demand full accountability,’’ Pallone said. The inspector general’s office had no immediate response. Bright is seeking to be reinstated as head of the research agency, said his lawyers Debra Katz and Lisa Banks. A performance review shows he received a top rating. Controversy has swirled around hydroxychloroquine since Trump started promoting it from the podium in the White House briefing room. BARDA, the agency that Bright formerly headed, is a unit of HHS created to counter threats from bioterrorism and infectious diseases. –