How the US Response to Covid-19 Broke Its Top Notch Health Authorities

A series of bad decisions and ill-considered policies, as well as unrivaled political interference, have resulted in the FDA and CDC losing the trust of the public and scientists

health

October 28, 2020

By Chelsea Whyte

Protesters in the US are calling for safe and affordable vaccines

Bill Clark / CQ Appeal, Inc via Getty Images

When the US sees a third surge in coronavirus cases, the two authorities tasked with guiding it through the public health crisis lost their greatest asset: trust. The effects could be catastrophic, and one expert warns the country could be headed for a national security crisis.

"Both the FDA and the CDC share a common element, which is public trust," said J. Stephen Morrison of the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington DC. "This is your essential capital that you must have …