US ‘ignored’ concerns over HCQ from India

Washington, May 6

A fired American vaccine expert has alleged that the Trump administration ignored the concerns of doctors over the import of hydroxychloroquine from “uninspected” factories in India and Pakistan and flooded the US with the unproven and potentially dangerous anti-malarial drug to treat coronavirus patients.

Dr Rick Bright led the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, a US government agency, which is trying to develop a vaccine for the deadly coronavirus that has claimed over 71,000 lives and infected over 1.2 million people in America, the worst hit nation.

In a plaint filed before the US Office of Special Counsel, which oversees the protection of whistleblowers, the scientist said he was ousted for questioning potential of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), touted by President Donald Trump as a game changer. — PTI