152 - Our Own Josh Sharfstein, a former FDA official, on Politics & the U.S. Food and Drug Administration

The FDA last week issued an "emergency use authorization" for convalescent plasma for COVID-19 patients – after a press conference attended by the FDA Commissioner at the White House. "Public Health on Call" co-host Dr. Josh Sharfstein was second-in-command at the FDA early in the Obama Administration. He talks to Stephanie Desmon about the controversy over the announcement on convalescent plasma and the brewing concern over whether politics could interfere with decisions on a COVID-19 vaccine. Correction: The first EUA was for an anthrax vaccine in 2005. Dr. Sharfstein signed the next set starting in 2009 for H1N1 influenza. KEYWORDS: COVID-19 therapy, vaccine authorization