Ex-CDC Head: Azar Tried To Change COVID Death Tally

Axios reports:



Two senior members of former President Trump’s White House coronavirus task force accused former Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar in a CNN Special Report, broadcast Sunday, of political interference.

Former CDC chief Robert Redfield told CNN’s Sanjay Gupta what he was “most offended by was the calls” from Azar’s office “that wanted me to pressure and change the MMWR [Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report on COVID-19]. He may deny that, but it’s true.”

Former FDA commissioner Stephen Hahn told CNN Azar blocking the FDA’s ability to regulate lab-developed tests “was a line in the sand for me” and he implied that the then-secretary shouted at him over it.