Health agencies' credibility at risk after week of blunders The credibility of two top public health agencies is on the line after controversial decisions that outside experts say suggest political pressure from the Trump administrationWASHINGTON -- The credibility of two of the nation’s leading public health agencies was under fire this week after controversial decisions that outside experts said smacked of political pressure from President Donald Trump as he attempts to move past the devastating toll of the coronavirus ahead of the November election. Trump's own factual misstatements about COVID-19 are well documented, but the back-to-back messaging blunders by public health officials could create new damage, eroding public trust in front-line agencies. He also denied political pressure played any role in FDA’s decision on convalescent plasma. Events surrounding the FDA’s plasma decision resembled the agency’s March authorization of hydroxychloroquine, the anti-malaria drug vigorously promoted by Trump. ———Follow Matthew Perrone on Twitter: @AP—FDAwriter———The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education.

Source: ABC News August 28, 2020 16:52 UTC