CDC Director Tom Frieden is under fire over the agency's botched handling of Ebola in the United States after a series of major missteps, including officials giving the green light to a nurse exposed to the disease to fly on a commercial airplane with a fever.
Today Frieden will field tough questions from lawmakers when he testifies in front of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
“The Ebola outbreak is a global public health issue that demands an all-hands-on-deck response. We cannot afford to look back and say we could have done more. The United States has a first-class health care system and we will do everything necessary to treat the sick, contain the threat, and protect the public health," Chairman Fred Upton said in a statement. "As the Ebola outbreak becomes a growing public health concern here in the US, the Energy and Commerce Committee is reviewing all aspects of the federal response. From the decisions of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to airline passenger screening procedures by Customs and Border Patrol, our goal is to ensure every step necessary is being taken to contain and prevent the spread of this disease and protect public health ” said Murphy. “We look forward to hearing directly from CDC Director Frieden about current efforts and whether those are sufficient to stop the spread of this deadly disease and ensure health and safety of all Americans.”
U.S. Food and Drug Administration Assistant Commissioner Dr. Luciana Borio, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority at the Department of Health and Human Services Dr. Robin Robinson, Homeland Security Acting Assistant Commissioner Mr. John P. Wagner and Chief Clinical Officer and Senior Vice President of Texas Health Resources Dr. Daniel Varga will also testify.
The hearing starts at 12 p.m. ET. You can watch live here.
