Covid-19 Pandemic
 Here’s the latest news from the global pandemic. First lady ends night of rancor with note of empathy on virus Germany earmarks $12 billion more to extend job support China feels ‘singled out’ by Australia push for Covid inquiry Our take on the latest developments In America, whenever you open a medicine bottle, put a pill in your mouth and swallow, you’re engaging in an act of trust. It’s the promise that, thanks to the men and women of the Food and Drug Administration, there’s been a rigorous examination of how safe and effective it is. That trust isn’t to be taken for granted. Now, instead, imagine a world where you open that bottle, take out the pill, and before you put it on your tongue, you pause. You question whether you should, because you don’t trust the political party that was in power when it was approved.  The FDA headquarters. Photographer: Stefani Reynolds/Bloomberg Let’s not be naive. Medicine has never been exempt from politics, and neither has the FDA. But even when the politics of the moment focused on the agency, for example during debates about birth control, there has almost never been the real worry that crucial decisions about approving or rejecting drugs could be strongly influenced by political considerations. If you’re cynical enough, it’s a possibility. What president wouldn’t want to see a drug for Alzheimer’s disease approved on his or her watch? Or, for that matter, a drug or vaccine that could end a deadly pandemic? A crucial role of the head of the FDA is to protect the agency’s independence. That doesn’t mean ignoring the outside world—for example, by systematically speeding review of potentially breakthrough cancer drugs. But, as current FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn said in an interview with Bloomberg, it means making consistent decisions based on science, even when the outside pressure is immense. Hahn badly erred in a press conference Sunday with the current president, making a misstatement about the effectiveness of an experimental Covid-19 therapy. “I made a mistake,” Hahn said in Tuesday’s interview. How he leads the agency in the coming months, and whether Americans trust it in the years to come, will be shaped by the decisions the FDA makes about drugs and vaccines in the middle of the pandemic. —Drew Armstrong Track the virus The epicenter of the pandemic has shifted continually, with new flareups in Europe now. Get the latest updates here.  Sponsored Content by Siemens America’s factories, power plants, transportation and hospitals all need technology and our technology is only as powerful as the people deploying and maintaining it. Keeping America moving takes more than technology alone. It takes a human touch. Siemens Ingenuity for life. What you should read How Hurricane Evacuation Can Spread the Virus Emergency planning variations can mean thousands of more Covid cases. Poorer Nations Aren’t Waiting for Others’ Vaccines Argentina, Nigeria nurture home projects while rich countries secure doses. Famous Saudi Prisoners Go Silent in Pandemic Authorities sever contact between high-profile detainees and their families. Wuhan is Moving On by Shutting Out the World Controlling the narrative is as important as controlling Covid in new China. Elite Paris School Gets Lesson on Gender Bias More women succeed after virus necessitates blind, written literature exam. Know someone else who would like this newsletter? Have them sign up here. Have any questions, concerns, or news tips on Covid-19 news? Get in touch or help us cover the story. Like this newsletter? Subscribe for unlimited access to trusted, data-based journalism in 120 countries around the world and gain expert analysis from exclusive daily newsletters, The Bloomberg Open and The Bloomberg Close. Follow Us Get the newsletter You received this message because you are subscribed to Bloomberg’s Coronavirus Daily newsletter. Unsubscribe | Bloomberg.com | Contact Us Bloomberg L.P. 731 Lexington, New York, NY, 10022 |
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