BARDA, Rick Bright
Despite playing a pivotal role in the development of treatments, vaccines, and diagnostics against the novel coronavirus, it was announced that Rick Bright had left his leadership position within the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Agency (BARDA).
Bright first joined BARDA in 2010 as the leader of its Influenza and Emerging Infectious Diseases Division before being made director for the agency in 2016. In addition to his position at BARDA, he holds a position as an advisor to the WHO.
Bright will move from his role to a position within the National Institutes of Health (NIH), with his deputy, Gary Disbrow, acting as temporary director for the agency.
In a statement provided to CNN, Bright said that he had been removed and 'involuntarily transferred' to his new position at the NIH.
Further than this, Bright explained, "I believe this transfer was in response to my insistence that the government invest the billions of dollars allocated by Congress to address the COVID-19 pandemic into safe and scientifically vetted solutions, and not in drugs, vaccines and other technologies that lack scientific merit."
