Reuters: “…an unusual step that has restricted information and hampered the U.S. government’s response to the contagion”

Washington, DC – Today, following reports that the White House has ordered the Department of Health and Human Services to keep coronavirus-related meetings classified, which has impacted the ability of public health experts to be involved in the deliberations and has prevented information from being released to the public, Patients Over Pharma released the following statement calling on Congress to take immediate action to prevent the White House from continuing this dangerous and egregious practice.

“This is another appalling example of the Trump Administration’s bungling incompetence and desperate attempts to shroud their shoddy coronavirus response in secrecy,” said Patients Over Pharma spokesman Eli Zupnick.

“By taking the unprecedented step of ordering public health deliberations to be classified, the Trump Administration has not only shut out the voices of the public health experts they need to hear from as these decisions are being made, they have also prevented the public from learning about how their government is responding to this escalating threat and whose interests they are looking out for as they do. Congress should take immediate action to prevent the White House from continuing this dangerous and egregious practice.”

Last month, Patients Over Pharma filed a Freedom of Information Act request for any documents related to Secretary Alex Azar’s coronavirus response work on the heels of his comments that the Administration wouldn’t take steps to ensure that Big Pharma makes coronavirus vaccines and treatments affordable and accessible to every American. No response has been received so far.

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