Monday, March 22, 2021

Global -123,000,000/2,700,000; USA – 29,700,000/540,000 Trump has been attacking me (and Deb Birx) in recent interviews on FOX News and “the Hill” (see below) saying that we were wrong most of the time. However, he actually says that I am a nice guy and he likes me. Big semi-scandal! AstraZeneca again messed up. Today was the day when they announced the data of their phase three clinical trial of a covid vaccine. The data showed a 78.9% efficacy with good efficacy against severe disease. They put out a press conference and press release and we followed with a press release that mirrored their release. As it turns out the data and safety monitoring board, which was getting impatient with them and was having trouble with their submission from the beginning, send them a harsh letter also addressed to me indicating that the data in their press release was not the most recent data an actually made the data looked more favorable. When the White House found out about this, it triggered a series of zoom calls with the comms team of the White House (Courtney Rowe et al) led by Jeff Zients. the final decision was that we would put out a press statement from NIAID in the middle of the night urging AZ to come clean with the DSMB and to straighten out their press release. See below the letter from the DSMB to me and AZ as well as our press release. final Concern over AZ press release.pdf NIAID Statement on AstraZeneca Vaccine Late Monday, the Data and Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) notified NIAID, BARDA, and AstraZeneca that it was concerned by information released by AstraZeneca on initial data from its COVID-19 vaccine clinical trial. The DSMB expressed concern that AstraZeneca may have included outdated information from that trial, which may have provided an incomplete view of the efficacy data. We urge the company to work with the DSMB to review the efficacy data and ensure the most accurate, up-to-date efficacy data be made public as quickly as possible. Authorization and guidelines for use of the vaccine in the United States will be determined by the Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention after thorough review of the data by independent advisory committees. PRESS: White House Press briefing – I presented the AZ results – 78.9% effective and 100% effective against sever disease – 0 in vaccine; 5 in placebo; BBC Radio World News; The Hill: Trump says Fauci 'a promoter more than anything' BY JUSTINE COLEMAN - 03/22/21 09:18 AM EDT 621