Friday, December 28, 2007

Lucky for us that Dr. Sedghi (Megan’s primary GYN doctor asked for a repeat sonogram. Turns out the “cyst” was a loop of bowel. She has a normal pelvis on repeat sono. Welcome to medical practice in the USA! The radiologist actually called it a dermoid cyst based on “calcification”, which now turns out not to be present.

Jan. 4, 2008 – The White House is getting excited about the possibility of pushing my TB vaccine research intitative for the G-8 and for the SOTU Address. Met on Jan. 3 with Mike Magan and Patrick Marcham of NSC about pushing forward my TB intiative. Also, Mike wants me to put together a similar initiative for a malaria vaccine. I will present this to Dan Price (with Gary Edson present) on Monday at the White House. Possibility exists for a two-fer, i.e. TB + Malaria vaccine initiatives. A lot of activity (e-mails, phone calls, meetings) going on similar to the time right before we went ahead with PEPFAR in Jan. 2003. There is the usual concern on the part of NIH, HHS, and OMB as to where the new money will come from. I have been very open in keeping Elias Zerhouni and HHS informed of my White House meetings. Jan. 5 – Jan. 18, 2008 – Democrat and Republican primaries getting very hot. No clear leader with the GOP. Fred Thompson dropped out; Rudy Giuliani counting on Florida as he has done poorly so far in Iowa, NH, Nevada, Michigan and SC. Romney dropping and McLain bouncing back with wins in NH and SC. Dems race ugly with Bill and Hillary attacking Obama. This is causing racial tensions and blacks are getting pissed at Bill and Hillary. Bill is acting inappropriately in attacking Barack in an angry fashion. He is also clearly lying about what Barack has said and done. My initiatives are still percolating at the WH. Now they have asked me to put together a malaria vaccine and malaria drug discovery proposal. Will discuss these on Jan. 28 at the WH. Weather has been bitter cold in DC – very sunny, but freezing.