By
(READ) GOP Exposes Biden’s $900M COVID Campaign Fail
https://ift.tt/zgaHhUw
The following is from the House Energy & Commerce (E&C) Republicans.
House Energy and Commerce Committee Republicans have released a report exposing the failures of a $900 million COVID-19 public relations campaign conducted by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The investigation, which began in April 2023, uncovered how the Biden-Harris administration used taxpayer dollars for advertisements that exaggerated the benefits of COVID-19 vaccines and promoted public health guidance that contributed to prolonged school and business closures. The report suggests that this campaign contradicted scientific guidance from the FDA and led to a loss of trust in public health institutions.
“While the Biden-Harris administration’s public health guidance led to prolonged closures of schools and businesses, the NIH was spending nearly a billion dollars of taxpayer money trying to manipulate Americans with advertisements—sometimes containing erroneous or unproven information.”
— Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA)
Rodgers went on to explain that by overpromising what the COVID-19 vaccines could do, particularly when it came to children and young adults, the Biden-Harris administration caused many Americans to lose trust in the public health system. She further mentioned that public funding was directed to Big Tech companies to track and monitor Americans, highlighting the need for stronger online data privacy protections.
“I am proud to see this report uncover the truth behind the Biden-Harris administration’s use of $900 million of taxpayer funds to further their own political agenda that sowed distrust in our public health institutions.”
— Subcommittee on Health Chair Brett Guthrie (R-KY)
Guthrie emphasized that the administration’s pandemic messaging not only kept children out of schools and harmed local economies but also contributed to an unprecedented decline in public trust in agencies like the CDC. He described this report as the first step toward holding health agencies accountable for the harm caused throughout the pandemic and ensuring that they operate more transparently in the future.
“The entire premise of the Biden-Harris ‘Stop the Spread’ campaign was that if you got vaccinated for COVID-19, you could resume daily activities because they said vaccinated people would not spread the disease.”
— Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Chair Morgan Griffith (R-VA)
Griffith criticized the administration for promoting the idea that vaccinated individuals would not spread COVID-19, despite lacking the scientific basis to support that claim. He suggested that this messaging contributed to a general decline in vaccination coverage for other diseases due to a growing distrust of public health institutions.
Background
The Energy and Commerce Committee began its investigation in April 2023, focusing on the public relations campaign that used $900 million of taxpayer funds to spread messaging about COVID-19. The investigation found that the campaign often exaggerated the benefits of vaccines, especially for younger populations, and contradicted FDA authorizations. According to the report, these exaggerated claims contributed to a loss of public trust and prolonged closures of schools and businesses.
Key findings include:
- Overpromising on vaccine effectiveness: The public relations campaign made claims about COVID-19 vaccines that exceeded what the FDA had authorized, particularly for children and young adults.
- Misleading the public about risks: The campaign overstated the dangers posed by COVID-19 to children and young adults, despite evidence suggesting lower risks to these populations.
- Prolonged closures: Misleading information from the campaign contributed to unnecessary school and business closures, creating economic and social hardships.
The Committee offers several recommendations to prevent the misuse of public funds and ensure transparency in future public health campaigns.
Recommendations
- Limit spending on public relations: The report recommends that future administrations should limit taxpayer-funded public relations campaigns during health crises to prevent manipulation of public opinion.
- Align messaging with scientific guidance: All public health messaging should be consistent with authorizations and guidance from regulatory agencies like the FDA.
- Improve transparency: The report suggests that public health campaigns should focus on accurate risk communication, ensuring that future messaging does not contribute to unnecessary panic or societal restrictions.
For more details, you can read the full report here.
The post (READ) GOP Exposes Biden’s $900M COVID Campaign Fail appeared first on Sharyl Attkisson.
news
via Sharyl Attkisson https://ift.tt/ugMYfh4
October 27, 2024 at 10:22AM
October 27, 2024 at 10:41AM
via Sharyl Attkisson https://ift.tt/zgaHhUw