The BioCentury Show launches with Gottlieb — loss of faith in health authorities is ‘deeply’ concerning
In the new series’ first episode, former FDA commissioner blasts CMS for Aduhelm decision, critical of CDC
The public’s loss of confidence in public health officials and institutions spans the American political spectrum, and the skepticism is deep and durable, former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said on the newly launched The BioCentury Show.
In the first episode of the bi-weekly program, Gottlieb sharply criticized CDC’s pandemic performance, arguing that the agency isn’t properly structured to respond quickly and effectively to crises and suggesting that its inconsistent messaging has confused and angered the public. Distrust of authority is “durable” and dangerous, he said, warning that fundamental public health programs such as mandatory childhood immunization are under threat. Popular distrust could derail attempts to enact bipartisan pandemic preparedness legislation, he added. ‘I’m deeply worried about this.”
Gottlieb also addressed the controversy over Aduhelm aducanumab-avwa, warning that Medicare’s draft coverage policy on Alzheimer’s disease mAbs sets precedents that could undermine FDA’s accelerated approval pathway and blur the lines of authority between the agency and CMS.
He also endorsed Rob Califf. Democrats who contend the nominee for FDA commissioner didn’t vigorously attempt to reduce opioid abuse when he was commissioner in the Obama administration are mistaken, Gottlieb said. He noted that Califf was his immediate predecessor as FDA commissioner. “I inherited not just a strong team and a strong agency, but I also inherited a strong policy agenda when it came to opioids.”
The BioCentury Show will post every two weeks, an open-access program of in-depth one-on-one interviews with leaders across the biopharma ecosystem.
Sponsorship and underwriting packages are available for BioCentury’s webinars, podcasts and surveys. For more information, please contact Sarah Shoaff at sarah.shoaff@biocentury.com.