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During a Senate committee hearing yesterday, Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) and Dr. Anthony Fauci had a tense discussion. Paul questioned Fauci about royalties from big pharma before warning him that things would be different when the GOP takes control.
Paul said: “When people decry vaccine hesitancy, it comes from the jargon you give us. You’re not paying attention to the science.
Fauci responded: “I have never made a penny off of anything I have done in government.”
Paul shot back: “That’s not true. You have royalties from vaccines you helped create at the NIH.”
Fauci: “I have never, ever denied fundamental immunology. I wrote the chapter in the Textbook of Medicine on fundamental immunology,”
Fauci tried to downplay the royalties, but Paul did not have it.
Paul said: “I think people are justified in being suspicious when Dr. Fauci says one thing in private and another in public.
“We’ve been asking you, and you refuse to answer, whether anybody on the vaccine committees gets royalties from the pharmaceutical companies.
“I asked you last time, and what was your response? ‘We don’t have to tell you.’
“But I’ll tell you this when we get in charge, we’re going change the rules, and you will have to divulge where you get your royalties from, from what companies, and if anybody on the committee has a conflict of interest. We’re going to learn about it I promise you that.”
“The basic science is that previous infection provides a level of immunity. If you ignore that in your studies, if you don’t present that in your committees, you’re not being truthful.”
He then issued a warning to Fauci: “When we get in charge, we’re going change the rules.”
It’s clear that Paul and Fauci are not on the same page when it comes to the coronavirus pandemic. Paul has been critical of the lockdowns and Fauci has been a proponent of them.
The clash between Paul and Fauci today is a sign of what’s to come when the GOP takes control of the Senate in January. Paul has made it clear that he plans to hold Fauci accountable and he won’t let him get away with giving “gobbledygook” answers.
Paul continued: “We’ve been asking you and you refuse to answer whether anybody on the vaccine committees gets royalties from the pharmaceutical companies,” Senator Paul said. “I asked you last time and what was your response? ‘We don’t have to tell you.’
“But I’ll tell you this, when we get in charge, we’re going change the rules and you will have to divulge where you get your royalties from, from what companies, and if anybody on the committee has a conflict of interest.”
Dr. Fauci has come under fire in recent months for his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, with many Republicans accusing him of overstating the threat posed by the virus.
Senator Paul has been one of the most vocal critics of Dr. Fauci, and has repeatedly called for him to be fired.
It is not clear what financial ties Dr. Fauci may have to pharmaceutical companies, but his annual financial disclosure forms show that he has earned income from speaking fees and consulting work for several companies, including Johnson & Johnson and Merck.
Dr. Fauci has also come under fire for his role in the development of the coronavirus vaccines, which have been plagued by delays and shortages.
