U.S. Health Official Says He Was Ousted Over Malaria Drug
- BARDA chief said chloroquine claims ‘lack scientific merit’
- Bright was removed from post at agency helping develop vaccine
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A top U.S. health official who was helping lead efforts to find a coronavirus vaccine said he was removed from his post because he insisted on limiting the use of a drug President Donald Trump has pushed as a Covid-19 treatment despite little clinical evidence it works.
Rick Bright was abruptly pushed out of his position as the director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority on Tuesday and given a smaller role at the National Institutes of Health. BARDA is helping pharmaceutical companies develop a vaccine for the novel coronavirus.